Conquer Your Flying Phobia

You are preparing to go to the Bahamas to be a part of your cousin's wedding. You got the perfect dress, an adorable bathing suit, and you discovered your lost passports. But... you've never flown before. All you ever hear about is how small and uncomfortable planes are and how miserable security is. Just the thought of zipping through the air way to far above the surface makes you nauseous. I used to be one of you, so I've comprised a little list of the things that help me cope.

First, relax. You can't think or be rational if you are shaken up like a snow globe. Flying is very safe, even more so than driving a car. The reason so many people are scared of flying is simply the dramatic coverage that a rarely occurring crash receives. Here are some pretty amazing facts that will hopefully change your mind about flying.

- A bee sting is more likely to kill you than a plane crash.
- If you flew on a plan every single day, it would be 19,000 years before you would experience a crash.
- A pilot goes through as much training as a doctor does.
- Everything on a plan has a back-up system, along with three autopilots and three computers.
- For every hour a plane spends flying, it's on the ground for 12 undergoing thorough maintenance.
- Airplanes fly only in designated flyways that are ten miles wide. No other airplane can fly through it.

All these facts are correct. Hopefully this can put into perspective how safe flying actually is. Now there are other things you can do to prepare for your flight. Decide whether you want to check your bags or carry them on with you. Generally, a weekend trip that requires only a small bag can be brought on with you, while a large bag gets checked. It is recommended by the TSA to get to the airport at least two hours before your scheduled flight time in order to have enough time for getting your boarding pass, checking your bags, going through security, and navigating the airport.

Try to arrange for a friend to drop you off at the airport. This saves you the hassle of parking. Upon entering the terminal, look for the front desk of your airline. There should be tons of them in a row. This is the location where you will check in, receive your boarding pass, and then check your luggage.

Next is security. Make sure you have your boarding pass, ID, and U.S. passport out. Wait in the line, and when you get to the x-ray machine, take off your shoes, take your laptop out of its bag, and put your purse or backpack on the conveyor belt. You will be prompted into a metal detector, and once you pass through that, you're finished.

With new passports firmly in hand, you are now equipped with some reassuring facts and a quick overview of what to do for your flight. There is no reason to be scared about flying. The safety codes are very strict, and, despite the oppressive atmosphere, airports and flying can actually be sort of fun. So replace that stolen United States passports, grab your new bikini, your bag, and get ready to take off.