A few years ago I was really struggling with fear of flying. My wife took me kicking and screaming to London but had a terrible flight. A combination of a endless tarmac delay at JFK and some real bad turbulence really spooked me. I could not face getting on another plane to go back to America.

I actually got on the plane but freaked out and just before they closed the door I rushed out with my wife following me with a number of screams and swear words. I had some real explaining to do to the customer service people at the Airport who allowed me to go on the next day's flight for a small fee.

The next day I was still scared to death even though I had taken a high dose of Xanax and was basically a zombie. I actually looked into taking a boat back to America, but the cost and wait was to much.

I wonder if there are other fearful flyers who struggle taking a flight back from Europe after a bad case of fearful flying due to a bad trip to Europe. What do the airlines usually do if someone goes on the plane and chickens out like I did.

I got help and are no longer a fearful flyer now, I hope.

Oh, geeez.

Your wife took you "kicking and screaming" to London? You're the one who talks about how much you "love to travel to Europe" (hotel bed thread) and you know all about it. You've said you fly all the time, seated next to crazy people. You also make racist comments about people in England and so on and on.

Are you actually swaying_palms?

I think you need to get further help.

Smog in China may be a bigger problem.

Having said that, <b>good luck</b> on your USAirways 757 flight across the pond.

He is flying US Airways after what they did to his friends?????

Go hang out at an all inclusive resort in the Caribbean. Very relaxing. 1 week of doing nothing cures all ills.

thank you for sharing....

I can get a little fearful sometimes when the plane is landing, as that part can be the diciest for me, and occasionally at very bad turbulance.

But I do have fear or anxiety, really, which are somewhat different, about trips and flying -- but mine has more to do with things going wrong (baggage getting lost, missing connections) as well as just dread of the long flight. I hate flying, but for those things, not fear of the plane crashing so much.

I'll be honest, I have a lot more anxiety about driving on the major freeways around where I live than flying. I'm not saying that just to be clever, either, I drive 50 miles a day around Wash DC, and the drivers here are terrible, and I really do get very stressed out about that more than flying. I stay at work late often just because I put off doing that drive (like right now).

Not knowing distant_traveler from the man in the moon, I won't comment on his motives!

All my anxiety about flying used to involve getting to the airport on time. Now that pales to claustrophobia on small and/or crowded planes. I would even think twice befor accepting a seat on a private plane where I have to spend the trip folded up (we 6'3&quot; types love being able to stand up.) All that aside, before the long runway delays became so commonplace I didn't think so much about it, beyond trying to be sure I sat on the aisle or in exit row. But 3 hrs in a jam-packed 30-seater waiting for a 30 minute flight has made me more neurotic than I was!

As with much anxiety, my problem is more feet of the irrational panic than fear of being closed in.

For some time I was an Effexor taker, and it helped immensely. Now I'm thinking hypnosis ...

Did someone say US Airways...??! Their overseas flights are claustrophobic - only 1 aisle. Very close quarters... I do not get aprehensive (I am known to laugh when there is extreme turbulence), but it bothered me to sit in tight quarters. Maybe it's best to avoid them if you have problems.

I thnk you are putting us on. I remember a post of yours where you mentiond traveling many times on a plane and were stuck sitting next to some unbalanced person, something like that.

I used to have terrible fear of flying - then I got a big fan to uuse as a comfort blanket - I find that the noise from the fan blocks out the sound of my screaming and shouting

Distant Traveler does not sound like an American, and his post is strongly suspect. Very few, if any, Americans refer to the US as &quot;America&quot;-particularly, twice in one post. That word is almost exclusively used by Brits-an American would say &quot;to go back home&quot;, or, &quot;go back on a US flight&quot; or &quot;back to the US.&quot; This poster is a troll.

GirlSpyTravel, think of an emigrant from Russia, we usually say America, not US, and think of past nicknames

It may go down as a historic moment here, but I believe this is the first time I agree with <b>Girlspytravel</b>

That's only because, AAFLYER, you recently switched jobs to become a TSA screener, therefore, you now understand things which you could never comprehend before!

Troll or no troll. For anyone who fears flying across the pond, I suggest a transatlantic cruise. Very luxurious way of getting to &amp; from Europe.

DH &amp; I took a 12 nite Royal Caribbean transatlantic cruise in April 2007 &amp; paid only $900 each for a balcony cabin. We think that is a great deal, considering that is room, food, transportation, entertainment, &amp; ports of call (France, Ireland, England, Belgium, ended in Amsterdam). Of course, such a cruise can be much cheaper if one elects to stay in an inside cabin.

The clock was changed thruout the cruise, so we arrived in Europe relaxed, refreshed, &amp; without jet lag!

Julie

And Faina, yes, it could be an emigrant, but the London part leads me to believe this is an English troll-perhaps someone who posts here regularly under a different name.

Do any TSA emplyees comprehend ANYTHING?

I very much doubt it!

Well, you should know, since you ARE the expert on all facets of aviation security, now aren't you, AAFLYER?

Of course your expertise runs to basically letting everyone walk on board without going through ANY security, therefore making you, AAFLYER, the terrorists' best friend!

here we go....

trying to be nice and see where that gets me?

I'm a staunch advocate of physical security,

but

I'm totally opposed to personal information security just so I could travel. It's un-American and it's sold to us as a scheme to protect our freedoms. Even &quot;Seinfeld&quot; couldn't, didn't come up with this brilliant script.