Fear of flying: how to overcome it?

Fear of flying is a complex phobia, but it is not a fate set in stone. It can stem from many causes: turbulence, lack of knowledge about aviation safety, claustrophobia, agoraphobia and other associated disorders. To move past it, the first step is to understand what it is made of so you can overcome it with proven methods, and finally enjoy your flights to the fullest, without anxiety.

Debunking the myths about in-flight anxiety

Fear of flying, in all its variations, is a fear as common as it is misunderstood. Widespread across the population, it is thought to affect up to 20% of passengers on any given flight. Many myths circulate about it, most of them false.

Here are the top 5 most common misconceptions about fear of flying:

  • It is impossible to overcome fear of flying.
  • You suffer from it your whole life, to varying degrees.
  • It is a question of willpower: by controlling your mind, you can get rid of it.
  • It is necessarily linked to fear of death.
  • It only shows up because I cannot stand losing control.

All these myths share one thing in common: they are wrong. One thing is certain — fear of flying is a composite psychological condition, but a curable one in the medium to long term, provided you find the right method.

Overcoming fear of flying is possible

Do not let aviophobia keep you grounded. Since 2011, Fofly has been the specialist in fear of flying and its various treatments, notably through a comprehensive online programme designed by an airline pilot and a psychologist.

From our site, you will find help and expert advice, as well as the support of professionals specialised in therapies to no longer fear flying.

Overcome your in-flight stress thanks to techniques delivered directly by an airline pilot and professional instructor, and a psychologist specialised in the psychological disorders linked to aviophobia.

Tips, methods and online training

Fofly is your go-to resource to treat in depth the symptoms and the roots of the disorders that cause fear of flying, whatever its degree — from mild anxiety to phobia and avoidance.

On these pages you will find everything you need so that no psychological barrier stops you from fully enjoying your trips, vacations and business travel, in your home country or anywhere in the world.

Why an e-learning programme to treat fear of flying?

Fear of flying is often fuelled by a self-conditioning loop that grows stronger the longer it goes untreated. Passengers can experience very different degrees of fear — from mild discomfort to stress, anxiety and full phobia. Whatever the level, the same principle applies: only a structured, in-depth method delivers lasting results.

An online programme makes that structured method accessible to everyone, no matter where you live or how busy your schedule. The Fofly E-learning programme brings together the complete pedagogical content of our method in a self-paced format you can follow from home, on your own timetable.

Built by an airline pilot specialised in fear of flying and a psychologist specialised in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for phobias, the programme combines accurate aviation knowledge, behavioural exercises and progressive exposure. You move through it at your own rhythm, going back over any module as many times as you need.

Where does fear of flying come from?

Fear of flying is a complex phobia. It can take many forms and many degrees. Its expressions range from mildly anxious profiles to outright phobic ones. It often triggers avoidance behaviours, from the most harmless (distractions, alcohol, medication) to the most radical (staying away from airports and airlines altogether).

Whatever its nature and shape, it is possible to get rid of it for good and to discover the pleasure of flying without anxiety or hidden worries.

What psychology tells us

The psychology of fear of flying gives us valuable insights into the mechanisms that allow us to take back control of our mind — and we apply them in our e-learning programme.

Anxiety, phobia or simple discomfort: the fears linked to flying most often come from associated disorders triggered by the situation of being in the air. To go further, read our dossier on flight phobia.

Depending on the individual, the following psychological disorders may come into play:

  • Aerophobia
  • Claustrophobia
  • Aquaphobia, when flying over sea or ocean
  • Agoraphobia
  • Social fears
  • Fear of death
  • Emetophobia (fear of vomiting)
  • Irrational fears linked to mechanical failure
  • Anxiety linked to weather
  • Mistaken beliefs about turbulence or air pockets
  • Fear of takeoff or landing

It can be hard to find your way through it: sometimes several of these fears intertwine and feed each other. They share one thing in common — they are disproportionate, and they miss the fact that flying is one of the safest modes of transport, by far ahead of the car.

To break free from them, proven solutions exist — and we share them on Fofly and through programmes built with fear-of-flying professionals.

Assess your level of fear of flying

Identifying what makes up your anxiety around flying is often the first step toward recovery. Which psychological disorders are involved, to what degree, what are your symptoms, what avoidance strategies do you use? Putting words on your fears is fundamental to start a recovery programme.

To assess all these elements together, you can take our fear of flying assessment questionnaire right now.

Overcome fear of flying with Fofly E-learning

The Fofly E-learning programme delivers the full content of our method in an online, self-paced format. It is designed and led by an airline pilot specialised in fear of flying and a psychologist specialised in CBT, the two voices you would meet in an in-person workshop, now available at any time of day or night.

Throughout the programme, you receive the key pedagogical content that short-circuits negative thoughts and helps replace them with positive, fact-based ones. You then put what you have learned into practice through structured exercises and a gradual self-paced exposure phase, in a setting that you fully control.

Available 24/7, the programme adapts to your rhythm and to the way you learn best. Discover the Fofly E-learning programme to start today.

Online training

Can't travel, or our session dates don't fit your calendar? Fofly offers an effective alternative with individual online training, in direct contact with the professionals (pilot and psychologist). Available all year round, it delivers all the pedagogical content of our method in a condensed, easy-to-absorb format you can follow from home.

Discover the Fofly E-learning programme to start your journey today.

Overcome fear of flying for good

Whatever your level of anxiety, the Fofly E-learning programme supports you at your own pace from home, with the complete pedagogical content of our method designed by an airline pilot and a psychologist.