British Airways pilot on a flight to allay fear of flying

Dubai: A British Airways pilot who has co-authored a book titled Flying with Confidence is going all out to allay the widespread fear of flying among the general public in the UAE.

Speaking on the sidelines of an open course he held on aerophobia in Dubai on February 17, Captain Steve Allright, who has clocked over 11,000 flying hours for British Airways in 24 years, told XPRESS: “Around 25 per cent of people have at least some fear of flying, while about one in 10 have a phobia of flying. A survey commissioned by British Airways through YouGov in the UAE last month showed that 41 per cent of the people have safety-related concerns while 31 per cent have a fear of the unknown.”

He said: “People who are afraid of flying come in categories: those who are actually afraid of the plane crashing and those who are worried about losing control of themselves (having a panic attack, crying or shouting once airborne).”

He said these fears are irrational and stem from a lack of knowledge. Dwelling on the physics of turbulence, he said even in its most severe state it is just a stirring up of air which can be “uncomfortable but not dangerous”. “Air pockets are just an extreme mixing of air that may cause the aircraft to drop but it will not continue to fall uncontrollably. A pilot will find the most comfortable path to your destination without compromising your safety.”

He said a pilot is trained to deal with other aspects of the weather, including wind, rain, sun, fog and snow. He said all modern airfields have an instrument landing system that enable aircraft to land safely even in the most limiting visibility, just as aircraft engines can cope with a huge amount of water ingestion during heavy rain.