What if I can’t get on the plane?

How long is the flight and where are you going? Also what's the flight configuration and how far apart from each other are you sitting?

Oh god do not offer people flying business 100quid to change seats!

Send an email now.

Arrive at check in early. Even if it's baggage drop only try and speak to a person. Explain your situation and ask if they can move people around so you can sit together.

Failing that, just ask people on the plane sitting next to one or other of you. I've been on both sides - asked people to move and offered when I saw a child being seated alone.

If there are people travelling on business they probably won't care where they sit.

Failing all of that explain to the cabin staff who may be able to offer a solution. And if they can't they'll do their best to look after you.

You'll be fine! I speak as a highly nervous traveller.

Take noise cancelling headphones and get stuck in to the movies.

Well exactly. So mystified why PP would think it’s party city in business?

Flying long haul is different to ryanair or easyJet. Thank goodness! You don't normally pay for seat reservations on long haul flights and you often can't reserve seats until check in. Also there may well be seats together available when you get to the airport even if not showing on the online booking system. That's my experience anyway. Get to check in reasonably early. As others have said I would watch a few films rather than chat for hours, enjoy the free food and drink etc. Long haul is far more pleasant than budget airlines.

Honestly? I used to be an incredibly nervous flier and it was when we were coming to Switzerland so the flight couldn’t be avoided (after that, I didn’t fly for eight years). My husband took £100 with us and when we got on the first part of the journey where we weren’t seated together, he offered £100 to each of the people seated next to me. Obviously one took it, happy ending, hooray. I recommend trying to exchange like for like. So if he has a window seat, offer the window seat person £100 to move to another window seat, ESPECIALLY for middle seats.

It's lights out after dinner in economy too you know

Have you ever actually flown in BC? It’s full of people who are travelling on, you know, business.

It is literally lights out after dinner, and the cabin crew will ask you to keep your voice down if you are disturbing others.

Get yourself onto a fear of flying course. My friend finally bit the bullet and she said it was the best thing she could have done to get over her immense fear of flying.

Agreed. My GP did this for me.

I had a terrible fear of flying (heart rate of over 140 while sitting down and waiting to get on the plane) - I started a new job in mid 2022 and I have had to fly long haul (14 hours plus) at least twice a quarter since then. What helps me is:

1. Alcohol. If you are flying business class you'll have access to a nice lounge with free alcohol. I never have more than 2 drinks before flying, but I find the 2 drinks take the edge of my anxiety
2. Sitting at the front of the plane - watching the cabin crew helps me, even during bad turbulence they always look very calm, which settles me down
3. I usually travel alone and when I do fly with my boss talking doesn't help much - getting lost in a movie really makes the time go faster
4. For me taking off is by far the worst part. I put a meditation soundtrack on my phone with ear buds and try to focus on that.
5. Sleep if you can - hopefully you will have a flat bed which makes sleep easier. Even if I fly during the day I try to only sleep a few hours the night before so that I can catch a film and then sleep the rest of the way.

I know how unpleasant a fear of flying it, nothing can really make it go away 100% but all the above makes it at least bearable, if not pleasant! Hope you find a way to still go even if your friend is not next to you.

Why would pointing out business class is not a library mean I'm not ok?! Strange.

U OK hun?

You do certainly seem like someone capable of talking non-stop for 12 hours…

@Unopenedpackofmenssocks give over with your snobbishness honestly. What are you the business class police? For you the draw is the beds, not for others. Quelle surprise! 🙄 it's attitudes like yours which makes people needlessly nervous about what is ultimately a great experience. If I pay 3k one way then I am certainly not going to be sleeping! I am not rude, not at all. However if I want to talk all the way then talk I will. 👅 and ill be putting my Louis in and out of the overhead just to piss you off 🤣🤣 go to first if you don't want any commoners

I hate flying and last year we were on a very bouncy flight into Greece. People were sobbing and no passengers looked calm at all. I couldn't see the cabin crew because they were strapped in their seats.

What worked for me was practically hallucinating with tiredness because I hadn't gone to bed at all (6:30am flight, airport at 4am, still packing at 1am and thought sod it what's the point of sleeping now) and having a couple of g&t's so I was actually giggly rather than hysterical.

Surely you weren’t planning to talk constantly for the whole flight? The biggest draw of business class is the lie flat beds- you’ll be asleep a lot of the time anyway (plus other passengers will not be too impressed at constant chattering.) Just put on your headphones, make the most of the very good quality booze and, as others have said, you will have clear aisle access so you can wander over to see your friend whenever you need to (if she is awake).

I think if you explain on the day at the check in desk they will sort this out for you.

I've never flown business class so don't know if it's the same seat booking rules as economy ie you could have paid and booked specific seats earlier.

If you're asking your GP for something g I'd recommend Hydroxyzine, it's an old style antihistamine that works very fast, very calming, drowsy depending on the dose you take and is a recognised treatment for anxiety. Take at the airport and not beforehand tho, and start with a small dose - I take 25% of what I'm prescribed per dose and it does the trick.

You'd find me a nightmare on a flight tho, I love flying more than anything!

I've flown business class once, and it messed with my mind as it didn't feel like being on a plane. Everything felt different, including take off and landing. I love flying but I think if I didnt, I'd love business class anyway. You'll likely a have aisle access so you can see your friend as and when you like once the seat belt signs are off.

Good luck, I hope you have a great trip.

Read Allan Carr - Fear of Flying, this book was a game changer for me.

Business class you can book seats together as soon as you book. Depending on the airline and layout you won’t be close together anyway, the point of business is that you don’t directly sit next to other people.

Very surprised if flying Friday and booking seats was today

Sept booking is offered when buy the seats

I usually book seats when I book the flight so for example im away now in tenerife and booked flights maybe nov time and also booked seats then

As wanted to sit by dh and mini blondes

Tbh I wouldn't swap with someone if I had paid for me seat and obv business class you pay for

We had a family yesterday when we flew here or hasn't booked and wanted to sit together and asking all the passengers to swap. Was a2 and 2

And people wouldn't

Sadly moral is pay and book for a seat if you have to sit by someone you want to

Saying all that flying is lovely but k hey some hate it so do talk to gp and get some drugs /help to relax

If you're bizzy class then honestly it's a different experience all together. Which airline? Some of them have a bar area that you can hang in as well. I'd definitely ask the check in if you can change, I don't think I've ever had a fully full cabin. It's not the flying I hate it's the actual stress involved of getting to the airport. Once I'm in that lounge with a glass of Laurent Perrier well. 🥂 I save hard all year for these flights and consider them a major part of my holiday - you will too!

the gp even private doesnt prescribe diazepam anymore (you'd have to have given me about 30mg anyway 😂) but the private gp does issue propranolol which is excellent. It takes away that surge of adrenaline-like butterflies but the bad version. Give them a try if you haven't already. Where are you going? 🌞