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AIBU?

He's scared of flying: AIBU to want my DP to fly before we get married

175 replies

Wawawaa · 10/07/2017 13:32

Sorry, long post... My DP developed a fear of flying about 10 years ago and hasn't flown for that amount of time. We've been together for about three years and he's always portrayed this as something quite mild and that he's not opposed to flying but that he just prefers to travel by train/boat etc.

I like to think of myself as quite an adventurous person who has lived in other places and although I don't go on many holidays I like to explore new places.

To date in our relationship, we've only been on holiday to places that we could go to by train which has limited our choice and made trips a bit more draining and also shorter than they could have been (like 12 hour train journeys to places in France, effectively cutting two days off the holiday).

We are planning on getting married in September and I feel as though he owes me a flight before we get married. AIBU?

I've suggested a holiday flying to Nice in France and although at first he said yes, he then said no because "it's too expensive" (I managed plan it down to £250 for five days including flights and airbnb). He is now suggesting somewhere in the UK but is insisting on hotels which will cost a lot more... and has since admitted that he just doesn't want to fly and that "now is just not a good time" for him to fly.

I'm worried we'll have an odd kind of marriage like a couple I know where one is scared to fly and the other does lots of interesting things all by himself. It's almost a kind of non-relationship imo.

My DP has never painted his fear of flying as such a major thing so AIBU to feel that he now owes me a flight (so to speak) on our next break? (If I'd had known at the start of the relationship that he would potentially never ever fly anywhere, I might have considered not dating him, although that's now not an option).

On another note, he tells people casually at work and in job interviews where flying is required, that he doesn't like flying and so is of course discounted from getting these roles. He seems to think it's quite a normal thing, not to like flying - I don't love it myself but I still fly. Is this an odd thing to admit to and to actually be so afraid that your fear of flying outweighs your curiosity about the world, interest in other cultures, opportunity for interesting new jobs etc? Or am I just being very non-understanding?

He has told me that his ex was very annoyed about him not flying, so was probably one things that contributed to their break up... He has been on a course about it before but didn't get on the flight at the end. He's not keen on doing another course or hypnosis as "it'll be another thing on his to do list".

In my mind I'd like us to be the type of people to trek through the mountains in some far flung place with a baby in a sling (yes, probably unrealistic anyway but I like the thought). AIBU to feel that he sort of owes me a bit of effort and to step out of his comfort zone (as I have done, using up half my annual leave on cramped train journeys) before we say "I do"?

OP posts:
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Pansiesandredrosesandmarigolds · 10/07/2017 17:13

Well, flying's catastrophic for the environment (seriously, it doesn't matter what else you do - you might be a vegan who recycles everything - if you're a frequent flier then your carbon impact is horrendous). So, you know, it's not all bad if he doesn't fly.

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user1499282478 · 10/07/2017 17:17

Am I reading this right you absolutely are being terribly unreasonable I hate flying but do it when I really need to but my husband will under no circumstances travel by boat he turns completely green at the mention of boats and I wouldn't love him any less even when he puked over board the whole time

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user1499282478 · 10/07/2017 17:18

U no what u should leave he deserves better then u

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muddlefuck · 10/07/2017 17:19

Why isn't it an option now? If flying to travel is an important aspect to you, and one that if you had known, you wouldn't have dated him, then would it not be better, long term, for you to end it rather than resenting him or growing apart because you holiday apart

Oh fgs would you HONESTLY end an otherwise good relationship because of this Hmm

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Highlyinternational · 10/07/2017 17:21

What's your greatest fear? You do that, and then if you can cope, maybe he will try and conquer his fear too.

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swingofthings · 10/07/2017 17:30

I develop a fear of flying and before I met my OH, I had not flown for about 10 years. However, shortly after we met, we talked about going skiing together, something I desperately wanted to do so I went along with it, didn't tell him how bad my fear was and hoping it would be ok.

it wasn't! It was horrific especially as the plane took off again just as it was landing. My new boyfriend saw his very cool and composed girlfriend totally crumble. There was no way I was going to fly back in normal state, so had to resort to getting drunk which wasn't much better.

Thankfully, he was incredibly supportive. He never put pressure on me and even though travelling the world is a big part of his life, he never made me feel that if I could do so with him, he wouldn't want to be with me.

As it is, I battled my phobia with the help of medication and cognitive therapy. My OH has been wonderful. The big test was our honeymoon as we went to the Seychelles. I was sick with nerves weeks before and expected the flight to be a horrible experience, but somehow, it wasn't. The more I have flown the better I get and last year, for the first time in 10 years, I flew with friend to Canada without him. It was a massive achievement.

I still don't like flying but I am now used to it (do so about 3 to 4 times a year). I have a routine I stick to and that's ok. I'm even started to be able to look out without freaking out.

I wouldn't have been able to do it without my partner's support and I have to say your attitude is shocking. If it had been my OH, I would certainly have not wanted to marry him. You're very selfish.

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WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 10/07/2017 17:30

U no what u should leave he deserves better then u

She should leave, because she deserves better than someone who is willing to restrict their quality of life and not do anything about it.

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happypoobum · 10/07/2017 17:33

muddlefuck I agree, although I do think it depends on whether the DP would be agreeable to OP holidaying abroad without him. I have plenty of married friends who come on holiday with me and their DHs don't seem to mind Smile If that was a deal breaker for him then I think I would call it a day if I were OP, as they aren't married yet.

Highly That's a bit of a risky strategy isn't it? What if OP does that and DP still shakes his head at hypnotherapy or other things kind people have suggested?

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pombal · 10/07/2017 17:34

I haven't read the whole thread so sorry if this has been said, but why not just have cruise and train holidays.

I can think of worse things, you can see a lot of the world that way.

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cluelessnewmum · 10/07/2017 17:40

I guess you need to decide whether or not you can work round it.

If you want travel / holidays to be a part of your life and any future children's lives (not unreasonable), do you have other friends / family you could go with / would you go on your own?

It would be a bit of a deal breaker for me if I didn't think he'd ever try to overcome / manage the phobia. It's not just me, is feel that my kids were missing out on opportunities to learn about the world.

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Kittychatcat · 10/07/2017 17:42

You need to have an honest talk with your DP about this. I think you have to assume that you won't be flying anywhere with your DP which leaves you with a difficult decision about whether this is a deal breaker or not. I suspect that travel abroad is too important to you to be able to have a happy marriage to this man.

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JessieMcJessie · 10/07/2017 17:45

pombal travelling on the ground/sea takes longer so distance is restricted unless you have unlimited annual leave from work or are retired. OP has already said she resents this extra time required. Also many cruises involve flying to the departure point.

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harshbuttrue1980 · 10/07/2017 17:46

How does he feel about you going on holiday without him? If he was fine with this, then him not flying wouldn't be a deal breaker for me, as I could still visit places I wanted to see. If he would kick up a fuss, then I'd bin him though as it would mean you never get to see the places you wanted to see

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JessieMcJessie · 10/07/2017 17:54

I can't think of many things sadder than going into a marriage knowing that all the places I wanted to see I'd be seeing without my new husband.

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pombal · 10/07/2017 17:56

jessie I know it takes longer to cruise/train.

I'm just saying that it does still offer a lot of possibilities for travel and if everything else was good it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

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ChandlersNubbin · 10/07/2017 17:57

He's under stating his phobia to you.

I went on a fear of flying course. I was terrified of flying. The room was full of 100 other people who were equally as terrified.

Every single person got on the plane. Only three of those people didn't deal well with it when actually up in the air.

It's male bravado.

(I spent hundreds on various different types of therapy but the FOF course was the only thing that worked for me)

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histinyhandsarefrozen · 10/07/2017 18:26

My friends dh is the same- they cruise, And sometimes holiday in Europe- he leaves two days earlier and drives, she leisurely flies out with the kids...it's a pain but doable.

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georgjensen · 10/07/2017 18:42

I always think that this would be the 1 thing that would definitely stop me marrying someone. If I think back on what I and my children would have missed out on if we hadn't flown around the world, I wouldnt sacrifice that for a relationship, even a marriage.

I have a family member who has never been abroad as her DH won't fly. It has significantly limited their life experiences.

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MoreProseccoNow · 10/07/2017 19:08

OP, I think you need to seriously consider that he will never fly.

My DSis has a fear/phobia about flying, to the extent of missing my hen weekend. She met her now-DH who was very supportive & managed to fly round the world with him on a year out travelling usually medicated. He thought he had cured her.

She had DS & sadly suffered from severe PND & has never been able to get on a plane since - over 9 years now. I really feel sorry for my BIL & nephew as it has severely limited their opportunities for holidays & they are missing out.

Sadly, my DGM had a travelling phobia, my Dad is very anxious about flying, so it looks like this is being passed down the generations.

I don't think she is in the right frame of mind for tackling it, and probably won't ever be. I feel sad for them all.

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Crumbs1 · 10/07/2017 19:26

If not flying is a deal breaker you're probably better off not marrying. Love would surely transcend such a minor issue and you clearly don't love him sufficiently as he is to make marriage work.
Marriage isn't about changing people to suit you, it really is about committing to them just as they are. It's that whole for better, for worse business.

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DixieFlatline · 10/07/2017 19:26

He has said before that he will tackle it at some point, so I suppose I need to accept that.

You really do not need to accept that as the truth. It would be stupid to do so, to be quite honest.

He doesn't owe it to you to get on a plane, or even to tackle the problem at all - but you don't owe him blind trust, or a relationship based on it.

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nokidshere · 10/07/2017 20:00

It only restricts long haul holidays. There are plenty of places you can get to with relative ease by other means of transport.

My children haven't missed out, we have travelled extensively just not by plane. They have both flown with school trips and have no fear of flying. They accept that their dad doesn't fly and don't make any fuss about it. They have their whole lives to travel by whatever means they wish, they are not missing out or being deprived. I was 21 before I had a holiday anywhere, I don't blame my parents for that.

The only issue really is if you already resent your partner then it won't get any better if you are married. I would no more make my dh fly than he would bring a dog into our home. Marriage is about compromise and acceptance - not about changing someone and resentment when they don't conform to your

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nokidshere · 10/07/2017 20:01

Wishes.... sorry posted too soon

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lovelysquish · 10/07/2017 20:19

Stop pushing him. He obviously doesn't want to fly!!

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WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 10/07/2017 20:21

Stop pushing him. He obviously doesn't want to fly!!

Well then he should say that instead of skirting around the issue and making excuses, forever leading her on.

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