OREANDA-NEWS. Starting April 1, 2014 Transaero Airlines passengers will have the opportunity to watch a unique in-flight video based course that is specially designed to help those who suffer from fear and anxiety whilst flying.

This video based course “Flying without Fear with Transaero” is another important step in the airline's joint programme with the Flying without Fear Center. The video helps passengers to relieve anxiety whilst flying and proves that aircraft are the safest means of transport that currently exists.

The video features detailed information on:

How a plane flies and what keeps it in the air

What happens in case of engine malfunction

Measures on decreasing human error in aviation

How weather influences flight safety

What causes turbulence and whether it can be dangerous

and other useful information about air travel and psychology.

The course was created by the Director of the Flying without Fear Center, a professional pilot and aviation psychologist, Alexey Gervash.

The video based course lasts 45 minutes, allowing passengers to watch it from beginning to end during both short- and long-haul flights. The course will be available onboard all Transaero aircraft equipped with Inflight Entertainment Systems.

This video based course will not only be helpful for those who fear flying but also for everyone interested in aviation and eager to learn more about it.

Aerophobia is one of the most common phobias in the world. Every 10th person in the world refuses to travel by air because of this fear. Aerophobia nowadays is a serious obstacle for those wanting to live a fulfilled life.

To help people overcome this problem, four years ago Transaero started cooperating with the Flying without Fear Center. It became the first Russian carrier to actively contribute to combating aerophobia in practical terms.

Cooperation between Transaero Airlines and the Flying without Fear Center, over the past few years, has helped more than 6,000 people overcome their fear by participating in full-time internal or external courses. Most of them have even gone on to become Transaero frequent flyers.

Full-time Flying without Fear courses give participants theoretical knowledge at the Center premises located at the Transaero Aviation Training Center. This is subsequently followed by simulator training in the pilot cabin mock-up. The goal is to show course participants that all aviation processes are secure. All the theoretical knowledge is reinforced and used in practice under the supervision of an aviation psychologist in the final stage of the course - a real flight with Transaero Airlines.

Nearly 20,000 people have already used a special app for iPad and iPhone developed by Transaero Airlines and the Flying without Fear Center.

In 2013 Transaero Airlines, Flying without Fear Center and Sheremetyevo International Airport launched a joint project - the first center in the world for pre-flight psychological help for passengers, located at Sheremetyevo International airport.

The joint project between Transaero and the Flying without Fear Center was acknowledged by the People Investor Award.

Elena Zhuravleva, Director for social policy, Transaero Airlines, said: “The project launched by Transaero and the Flying without Fear Center is unique in Russian commercial aviation. Our airline places great importance on passenger care, our aspiration is to make flying as comfortable as possible. It is an important part of our corporate social responsibility programme as it gives people back their freedom of movement”.

Alexey Gervash, Director of the Flying without Fear Center, said: “Aviation provides the highest level of safety, higher than any other industry. Aviation has been developed over decades and all possible mistakes and malfunctions are calculated in advance”.

Below you can find several practical suggestions to help overcome flight anxiety:

- All Transaero Airlines employees are trained to treat people who fear flying;

- Anxiety is not related to increased risk whilst flying. Risk exists everywhere but in fact in the air it is lower than on the ground;

- Accept that people feel anxious when flying not because it is unsafe but because flying itself is uncommon for them;

- Do not consume alcohol before flying as this may affect vestibular organs which control the human balance system, impeding you to correctly perceive the airplane's movement during the flight, causing even more anxiety and panic;

- Do not control the aircraft: aviation technologies are already safe. Nearly 50 million flights, carrying almost 5 billion passengers worldwide, land incident-free every year;

- Do not look for malfunctions, do not listen for engine noise, this only intensifies panic;

- Try to control your physiological condition: breathe in slowly, breathe out even slower. Try to keep your muscles relaxed.