What if I can’t get on the plane?

Thank you. I've also backtracked upthread saying I should have said it was a strong possibility rather than a certainty.

Maybe it's a new standard thing. Last week was my first long-haul in 12 years and my first time ever in BC so I was somewhat extrapolating!

OP will be catching the QE2 home 😂.

We weren’t born with wheels either but doesn’t stop us rolling down the motorway at 70mph.

I apologise, I have never experienced this in many flights but obviously I stand corrected!

@PandoraRocks That was a bit of an insensitive post given OP is on the plane right now!!

OP don't worry you're doing brilliantly - have another glass of wine

Yes but you're in a metal tube 30000ft in the air with nothing beneath but fresh air! A few Boeings crashed recently - one of them involving faked safety records, not to mention the turbulence on that flight from Singapore. Who could forget the air crash in the Andes where people ate their dead friends to survive.
All the people on here saying they're scared of flying but they have to do it. No you don't unless it is mandatory for your job. Why put yourself through it? I've been on a plane once when I was 12 years old. Hated it, was terrified as was my mum. Both of us cried on the plane and couldn't wait to land. I'm now 60 and haven't flown since. Made no difference to my life. So much easier not to bother. We weren't born with wings so not meant to fly.

Take sleeping pills or wait until boarded and ask someone nicely to give up their seat next to your friend. Generally in business class people don’t care, it’s all nice.

Also, thought I’d mention as there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing over this - they have indeed switched the lights off. Which is surprising given that it’s day time in both London and New York.
Thank you for updating that! Nice to know that the claims I was "talking bollocks", "quite mad" and "making things up" weren't accurate after all when I said that would happen.

Great just as i suggested and do - I find the take offs and landing most difficult unless we get turnblance and or hailstones just after take-off

I have a few on the plane as well and the movie helps time, fly😂

Brilliant, fantastic update OP and you are a star for coming back to report on the lights out issue!

Have an amazing holiday.

Not sure if that has been suggested OP, nervous flyer here. Had all sorts of treatment, several face to face hypnotherapy sessions, diazapam etc, wine (my own therapy).

One thing that really helped me was free podcasts on fear of flying. There are ample available on the podcast apps. Many by pilots. They cover every fear you might have and why it's unreasonable with examples. Try it. Really helped me. Good luck 🤞

I struggle with jet lag when arriving so GP has given me sleeping pills but NOT to be used on the plane itself. She said there have been issues with this as people take them as soon as they board and there could be delays. It then became tricky to move a person who took a sleeping pill an hour ago.

Good. You mentioned pre boarding wine. You’ll be good!

its safer than crossing the street.

i like a benedryl- get a nap in. But only for 4+ hours flights.

I don’t know your position on prescription medications but if you have a fear of flying, your GP may be able to prescribe something to relax you on the flight

I know it’s sorted now but people need to know you cannot get Xanax from an NHS GP. And it’s really not as easy to get diazepam or lorazepam from most decent GPs for flying either. Dodgy ones will probably be more likely to prescribe it.

Just to flag that alcohol + propranolol can make you dizzy and light headed if you're not used to it according to the NHS so maybe don't mix both unless you've done it before. That said you could ask your GP for a higher dose to use in stressful situations. I used to have 40mg propranolol for public speaking for example.

Only thing that works for me is Valium. doesn’t take away the fear but instead I just don’t care that I am scared

And that I think is really the best way moving forwards now on this - it will be an experience so go find as much enjoyment from it as you can :)

Look at the lounge as well and see how long you can have in there and arrange to take advantage of it, eat and drink the best and try to be there long enough to take advantage of any spa type experiences , a head or shoulder massage at least :)

Hopefully with the lounge experience, the priority check in etc, you will be relaxed enough that you can hold onto the nerves and you never know, you might find that a pair of noise cancelling ear phone ( so you dont hear the planes noises ) will be just the ticket and you will relax enough to be able to lie back and sleep

100% my fault. I’m a huge proponent of reading at least the OP’s comments and I failed this time.

I actually cannot understand a fear of flying not through lack of trying but you do have my sympathy. Google the jelly plane theory if it helps at all?

what is it/what part are you actually scared of?

Long haul business class inevitably means that you don't talk to your neighbour. There is a privacy screen between seats.

The Dr will give you something to get you through. I also recommend the Virgin Fear of Flying course, it cured me completely. I went from needing medication to being utterly bored each flight.

You've also missed the update 12 hours ago saying it was all sorted.

Travel sickness tablets...make you feel a bit sleepy and detached.