Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 25 September 2017:   A fifth of UAE residents recognise they have a fear of flying, with 31 percent citing turbulence as the main cause of their phobia, leading many to avoid business trips, visiting loved ones, or worldwide explorations.

 

 The survey, which also revealed that 39 per cent claim their fear worsens as they get older, was commissioned by British Airways ahead of its Flying with Confidence course, returning to the UAE for the fourth time this October.

 

Aimed at shaking off the different causes of aerophobia for nervous travellers, the one-day seminar will take place at the Sheraton Grand Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, on Wednesday 18 October. Held by British Airways’ Captain Steve Allright, who has more than 25 years of flying experience, the course will address concerns, worries and explains the ins and outs of how an aircraft flies, swapping pre-flight and on board jitters for excitement and comfort.  

 

For over 30 years, Flying with Confidence has enabled worried passengers to avoid apprehension running up to their getaways by offering a comprehensive look into flying and understanding how flight phobias can be managed. Captain Steve Allright, who has already helped more than 50,000 attendees confront their aerophobia, said: “It’s an amazing privilege to be a part of helping determined people to achieve their goals.”

 

The one-day course successfully addresses main areas of apprehension, such as the functionality of the aircraft, the causes of turbulence, along with technical aspects of air travel. Participants will also receive advice from a specialised phobia counsellor, which includes breathing and relaxation techniques. The Flying with Confidence course draws on the experience and expertise of the airline’s highly trained pilots and cabin crew who run the course.

 

Places can be booked online for AED 1,499 at www.flyingwithconfidence.com. In addition to tackling their fear of flying, all course participants will qualify for a 10 per cent discount on any British Airways flight in any cabin class.

 

Among the tens of thousands of successful participants, British Airways has shared a video of 73-year old Ronnie Leach, from Johannesburg, South Africa, who has suffered from a lifelong fear of flying, talking shortly after his first ever flight. Within the video Mr Leach explains how, having never stepped on a plane before in his life, he was able to face his fears and fly from Johannesburg to Heathrow on a British Airways A380 super jumbo to visit his daughter who lives in London – with a little help from the airline’s Flying with Confidence course for nervous flyers. Watch the short and full versions of the video here; short version and full version.