Look I get it, flying can be nerve-wracking. Although rare, there's always a chance of a mishap. And TSA gets your blood boiling before you even get through the security. Fortunately, if you're a nervous flyer, then a pilot has a few recommendations to avoid anxiety while traveling.
Speaking to Metro, pilot Shibani Kaur Gupta, who works as a Line Training Captain for Wizz Air, says communication is key.
She explained, "It really helps if you can talk to the crew. Definitely the cabin crew but also if you get the opportunity, speak to the pilot." She's done her fair share of helping to calm down nervous flyers over the years. She said hearing it "from the horse's mouth really makes a difference."
She always explained it simply to nervous flyers. "I got to tell them that I know what I'm doing and I'm not going to jeopardize the safety of the flight because it's my life at risk as well. So I think talking about your nervousness is a good trick."
Pilot Talks Nervous Flying
The pilot warns against drinking alcohol if you're nervous. You should also avoid having a cigarette beforehand.
She said, "It's also a good idea not to smoke before a flight - it's a proven fact that if you're a smoker it makes it more difficult to breathe on a plane because you're at a much higher altitude, so avoid that."
Instead of doing, that the pilot suggested drinking water and staying hydrated. It's also helpful to find distractions such as a good book. Meanwhile, American Airlines pilot Steve says not to worry about turbulence.
"A lot of people have a fear of flying, and it's usually due to turbulence," he said. "I want you to think of turbulence like a river. A river has currents, sometime it's real smooth, like a lake, sometimes it's a little more rapid where the water picks up speed, sometimes it's really rapid, like whitewater rafting."
He continued, "They pick up speed, and sometimes they get a little bumpy, and that's when you feel that unease in the back of the airplane, when the airplane starts to bump."
