Planes may have become a common way to head off on holiday, but flying isn't for everyone.
From unusual noises to the experience of being in the air, for some people it can be a terrifying experience. Now, a flying phobia coach has revealed some of the common fears people face - and shared his practical tips to help overcome them.
For the past 25 years Paul Tizzard has been helping thousands of people get over their terror of being in the skies through his work with Virgin Atlantic.
By teaching them tried and tested coping mechanisms, he has had a huge impact on people's lives.
For some people it means they've been able to go to the life events of loved ones overseas, or have finally been able to head on holidays abroad with their families.
For others, such as one man so "petrified" of flying he'd missed a funeral, Paul's course was so effective he ended up getting his helicopter's pilot license.
Through his work helping 30,000 people, Paul has noticed that people tend to fall into similar categories when it comes to the source of their fear.
Losing control
For many people, the horror of getting on a commercial jet comes as soon as the doors close and getting off the aircraft is no longer possible.
A potentially effective way to control this fear is by having a check-list which runs through everything which is likely to happen on a flight to help gain a sense of power, Paul explained.
He told the Mirror: "A flight checklist of every step of the flight from check-in to the other end, people find that helpful because it's very logical.
"Knowledge is power is the cliche. You can tick off the sounds that can be enough to get somebody to do a flight."
Paul also suggests learning breathing techniques (detailed in episode 44 of his podcast ) that can help to steady the nerves.
Take-off and landing
For some people, cruising at 30,000 feet is no bother at all - it's the getting up and down from there which is the problem.
"Those who fear take-off fear the point of commitment," Paul said.
"Landing-haters often like the power of the take off, but the landing makes them worry what would happen now they're near the ground."
Paul recommends finding Youtube videos of landings or take-offs to desensitize yourself to the process.
Fear of losing it
Being on a plane is an experience quite unlike most others we go through, in that you're expected to eat, sleep, drink, look after your kids and watch TV in front of dozens of strangers.
For many being in this public-private space with the sense that you're being watched that it brings can be very anxiety inducing.
This in itself can trigger further anxiety in some people worried about losing their cool in front of others.
"It's the fear of the fear, some people are worried that they'll embarrass themselves," Paul said.
For people with this particular flying phobia, Paul recommends learning breathing techniques, getting a handle on how safe flying is statistically, and having a list of everything that'll happen onboard.
Claustrophobia
Whether an Airbus or a tiny Cessna, for some people there is no plane big enough to stop the creeping sense of claustrophobia which comes when they step onboard.
"Claustrophobia is a perception," Paul said. "One aisle instead of two can be a problem, or 100 seats can be too small. Generally it is about a feeling of being closed in, because they shut the door. People want to flee."
As well as working out which seat alleviates the feeling the most and booking it, listening to the security briefing at the start of the flight and gaining an understanding of how safe planes are can alleviate the fear.
Fear of unlikely events
While most aviation anxiety is linked to the plane malfunctioning or crashing off its own steam, some people fear big, one-off events - whether that be terrorism or dramatic turbulence.
A lot of people in this camp obsess over data streams to try and work out how big the risk is.
"They check on all the turbulence websites for a better brief than even the Met Office can give them, or act as a stand by pilot for the whole flight, watching the flight route," Paul said.
As with all forms of flying fear, it can come on suddenly - often when people become parents, have a rough flight when they hungry or stressed, or reach retirement.
Paul advises listening to first person accounts of those who have been scared of flying and have managed to get over it on his podcast to gain an appreciation of how even irrational phobias can be controlled.
