Nervous flyer

From someone who also has had trouble with anxiety in the past (not just flying) I hope I might be able to offer you some help. Everyone else has been quite thorough though so not sure how helpful I can be beyond all of their lovely words. OK so first of all, as I've said I have had problems with anxiety and panic attacks in the past and I assume half of the reason that I am scared of flying is not actually fear of the plane or the plane crashing etc but fear of the actually having a panic attack itself. I don't know if this might be the same for you but I have found a few things help. Usual coping techniques when I'm panicking wherever I am, which anyone who panics knows can be different and at a variable controllable level for different people. For me it means getting my breathing under control and funnily enough giving my mum a call. I also have a playlist that helps when I panic....a lot of it as you might know is just mind over matter. The playlist has calmed me down in the past so just listening to it now I associate it with being nice and calm.

Also you mentioned you were worrying about letting yourself and your husband down which can only make the panic worse. I know it might be hard but try and take some of the pressure off by thinking 'if I dont go I won't be letting anyone down but if I manage it then great' Just keep talking things through etc.

I don't know if any of that is relevant to what you are feeling but I do hope it helps I know how awful being scared of flying can be and how much the anxiety can feel its taking over so I hope you can overcome it and make it on your flight.

being a nervous passenger myself and due to fly monday I have found this thread and forum very helpful. I have my elastic band to stop negative thoughts and my virgin fear of flying cd loaded up on the ipod.

I decided last night to upgrade to Premium Economy to help my comfort levels and give a better experience but at such short notice we are unable to specify seats and I am concerned that I will not be able to sit with my wife - do Virgin staff make allowances for the fact I am a nervous passenger and do all they can to help you sit together in such circumstances? I have contacted special assistance and they have flagged up our booking but again can offer no guarantees we will be sat together and have advised it is a very full flight.

As it is such a late stage change we are now TOD - does anyone know where the Virgin Info desk is in T3.

Thanks in advance a very nervous Bob

VS will do all they can to insure that you are sat together.
mention at Check In and then to the crew on-board that you are a nervous flyer and they will then do all they can to reassure you during your flight.
If you can check in from 24 hours before departure you will be able to choose your own seats. the earlier you check in the better the choice.

the VS area in T3 is to the left of the entrance outside (you cant miss it!)

Enjoy your flight.

Edit: my spelling is terrible

Thanks CHill710 that is of great comfort - I will be doing online check in a from about 28 hours before to try and get some great seats. fingers crossed all will be fine just me being anxious over nothing and the flight will be a great experience with a great time in new York so on the return flight I just sleep.

Thanks CHill710 that is of great comfort - I will be doing online check in a from about 28 hours before to try and get some great seats. fingers crossed all will be fine just me being anxious over nothing and the flight will be a great experience with a great time in new York so on the return flight I just sleep.

OLCI does not open until 24 hours before departure so i would just wait until then if you are the first to check in you will get the much sought after SEQ1 boarding pass (something that a lot of V-flyers race for)


Hope you have a good flight in both directions.
post a trip report when you return to let us know how you get on.

Will do thanks

[honey lamb]

Thanks CHill710 that is of great comfort - I will be doing online check in a from about 28 hours before to try and get some great seats. fingers crossed all will be fine just me being anxious over nothing and the flight will be a great experience with a great time in new York so on the return flight I just sleep.

OLCI does not open until 24 hours before departure so i would just wait until then if you are the first to check in you will get the much sought after SEQ1 boarding pass (something that a lot of V-flyers race for)


Hope you have a good flight in both directions.
post a trip report when you return to let us know how you get on.

Bob, although OLCI doesn't open till 24 hours before departure, you should still check on the My Booking page before then as more seats will be available for selection then and you should be able to get seats together. Be sure to do OLCI though at least 13 hours before departure as at that stage they go back into the pool of unreserved seats

Bob, although OLCI doesn't open till 24 hours before departure, you should still check on the My Booking page before then as more seats will be available for selection then and you should be able to get seats together. Be sure to do OLCI though at least 13 hours before departure as at that stage they go back into the pool of unreserved seats

sorry HL I forgot that seats may become available before OLCI

...seats may become available before OLCI

And at random times too. Today, five weeks before our return flight from Grenada, seats are showing as available in the bubble on the VS seat plan - the first time I have been aware of any being available since I made our booking in November. y)

One just has to keep checking. y)

Hello all of you and thank you so much for your kind replies. What a week I have had!! I basically got myself in such a state with all this I had to go to see the doctor who referred me to a councellor straight away. He said that there was no way I could go on honeymoon in such a state and that I am just pushing things too far and it would just be too much. Without going into too much detail I have been suffering with anxiety issues for a while now, as I mentioned in my last post and just because I felt fine doing normal day to day things I thought I was a lot better. Anyway it turns out that as soon as this big thing for me was drawing nearer my body could not cope as it was just too much. Anyway, I am being referred for some proper help now instead of just struggling on my own. My hubbie is the best hubbie in the world and he has been soooo understanding with all this. We have agreed that he is going to go on the holiday with a friend (his friend is going to take a different flight as we couldn't change the name on the ticket). He definately needs the break and if he doesn't go we will lose all the money we have spent on the holiday. I don't feel as bad knowing that he is going and is going to have a great time with one of his best friends.
I am going to work hard to get better so that I can get to a stage when I can go on fabulous holidays and make the most of them without being terrified. It wasn't just the flight making me panic, it was the whole being way from home thing etc etc.
Anyway I just wanted to thank you all for your support, I wish things were different, but I just have to accept that they aren't and focus on getting better. I will make sure that hubbie makes some notes about the flights so that I can put a trip report on here.

xxx

Anyway, I am being referred for some proper help now instead of just struggling on my own.

Good y)

My hubbie is the best hubbie in the world and he has been soooo understanding with all this.

Good y)

I am going to work hard to get better so that I can get to a stage when I can go on fabulous holidays and make the most of them without being terrified.

Good y)

And very good luck to you. :X :X :X :X

We'll look forward to your TR before too long

R-P

Sparkle - glad to hear you've been to the doctor and you are getting some help!

Please stay on v-flyer and keep reading all the interesting thins on here. Everyone is here to help so anytime you've got a question, let us know.

Have you also thought about the Virgin fear of flying course? There are a few good reviews of that on here too? Obviously at your pace!

Luke

[honey lamb]

Well done, sparkle, for taking that initiative. ^) That's a huge first step.

You obviously have huge support from your husband and I know that all the V-flyers reading your posts will wish you well and look forward to the day you will be able to post a trip report. And you will, I just know you will. y)

If it helps virgin have always been one of the airlines ive felt the safest on flying, never had a rough landing even I think, I don't know if its the quality of pilots or the professionalism of the cabin crew but your always made to feel pretty safe on a virgin flight.

Sorry to bump an old thread.

Just got back from SFO, on going I went Upper and I am a very nervous flyer!

Virgin were awesome from check-in to on the plane.

They even got one of the Pilots to come down and talk to me during his break and he showed me some of his flight charts (I didn't even ask for such a thing, one of the Cabin Crew asked them!).

I'll try and do a report at some stage!

[honey lamb]

Excellent. I'm glad you had such a good flight and that VS pulled out all the stops to make it easy for you y)

Excellent news. y)

Looking forward to reading your TR.

R-P