problem with flying

[fffftiger]

(does this belong here?)
i'm going on holiday on friday and it's only just hit me.
i'm terrified of taking off. i'm ok with flying and landing its really just taking off and ever since i was a baby (going on holiday 2-3 times a year until i was 15) i've always taken Bumby (a teddy i've had since i was born) to make me feel better and so i can grip onto him for dear life while i'm bricking it.
i've not been on holiday in 3 years and i'm going with my boyfriend and his family. they don't know about Bumby or the fact that i freak out when i'm in a plane that's taking off. well they do know about Bumby, they don't know that he always comes on holiday with me (he stays in the room and it's not like i sleep with him, it's purely for the flight).
i was just wondering if any one has any ideas on what i can do to get over the whole taking off thing. i thought it'd be more logical to be scared of all flying or landing but i'm fine with that.
any idea's that don't involve taking Bumby would be great. i just need a bit of help so i can avoid the embarrassment of nearly crying on the plane (i don't do crying, ever)

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Just happen to mention you are really scared of take off.

Take Bumby! You can always put him in your bag so you know he is there (I take a teddy too), you can squeeze on to your boyfriends hand for take off. My bf squeezes onto me. Just say Bumby is tradition and he always goes on holiday with anyone in the family when ever they go away.

On a side note, my teddie is called Fleecie, and when we went on hols this year, Fleecie came by the pool and got her photo taken (it was early so hardly anyone around) hahah. Fleecie has to come on holiday and have her photo taken . My parents even take Fleecie away with them...Fleecie is a well travelled sheep. I check my bag about 1000 times to make sure first, Fleecie hasn't fallen out/been stolen and then to see if the passports, tickets and money are still there haha .

[fffftiger]

Bumby is a Thumper teddy (from Bambi), he just got renamed as i could never say "bunny rabbit" it was always "bumby rabbit".

my sister usually takes Jack 2 (the original Jack was a leopard who got lost on holiday and got replaced by a brown tiger but she didn't notice).

i think i might take Bumby, the most tatty rabbit in the world. he is tradition, my tradition at the end of the day. i have a strange feeling that he's coming on my honeymoon with me (assuming i get married that is)

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

haha no harm in taking him. Just leave him in your bag.

Actually when I was going on hols there was a grown man (with his wife and son who was maybe a young teenager) wondering around the airport with a large teddy (it was the mans torso sized - so fairly big). We saw him wondering around the airport and we thought he'd bought it there, it had a little vest on, a shirt over the top, jeans and trainers...he sat in front of us on the plane going and he put it in the overhead rack, but made sure the teddy was sitting, he then put it on his seat and took a photo, then put him back nicely. When we landed he was cuddling the teddy all the way out, when waiting for the luggage the teddy was sitting nicely on one of those trolley things.

We forgot about him for 2 weeks... until waiting in line at the airport there he was in front of us...with his teddy - obvioulsy NOT a present but his teddy.

[captainf]

Hello fffftiger

Sorry to hear you're scared of take-off! I think you should just be honest with your boyfriend and his family that you are scared of taking off and have your teddy for support. My mum and dad are both nervous flyers.. and i'm training to be a pilot.

Perhaps you could explain to me what it is about take off that you dont like? Maybe I can put your mind at ease. If you feel embarressed openly discussing it on the forum you can PM me and i'll talk to you about it there instead. Hopefully if you explain what worries you about take off i'll be able to put your mind at ease, even if its just a little bit.

[fffftiger]

i wish i knew what it was that scares me but i'm completely clueless.
i've spoke to my boyfriend about being scared and he completely understands. i then mentioned bumby and he had a little giggle like he thought i was joking before he quickly realised i was being serious and apologised. he said he's completely ok with it and doesn't mind if i take bumby even if he's not in my bag. and then said its ok if bumby comes on our honey moon too (we've never spoke about that coz we're too young and haven't been together very long so that was a bit weird). he said he's completely there for me and bumby. and if i want he'll have a quiet word with his family about bumby but i told him no, i said me and bumby would go and i'd just want him to be there with me when i'm explaining my embarrassing...erm...thing (for want of a better word)

[captainf]

Interesting.. So when on take-off how do you feel inside? What thoughts are going through your head?
Take off is very safe, just as flying is overall. I like take-off but I most of all enjoy cruise and landing.. I like seeing that runway ahead getting closer..

Glad to hear your boyfriend was understanding and supportive. Dont feel ashamed of having a teddy as support. I guess taking the teddy along is abit like a tradition of comfort for you now. We all get attached to things like that - when I lived in Cornwall I loved the plane I was training on down there, it was a true pilots plane. At the end of my last flight in her before I moved to MK I ended up giving her a kiss on the nose Its amazing how you can get attached to things and how they bring you confidence. Hopefully your teddy will help with your confidence on your flight. Scared passengers deal with flying in different ways and having a teddy with you is your method and thats fine.

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Once your boyfriend realised you were serious, it was nice to hear how supportive he was. Offering to tell his parents so you wouldn't be embarrassed is also very nice. I hope you and Bumby have a good holiday then .

[captainf]

I guess you will have been cloud hopping by now. Hopefully it was a comfortable experience.

[fffftiger]

i'm back and i did take Bumby and we had an ace time (so did my boyfriend)
the main problem we had on holiday was his sister and not flying (even though that was a bit of a problem).
my boyfriend said he enjoyed having someone else to cuggle up to on the plane so its all good if Bumby wants to join us again (which he plans on doing).
i felt a lot better having both of my guys with me for take off and i think it's going to be that way for quite some time

[captainf]

Good to hear that you coped with take off better. Hopefully you will start to cope with it better each time and no longer fear it. Take off is quite fun really and its nice and safe

Sorry your boyfriends sister was abit of a problem though.

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

i'm back and i did take Bumby and we had an ace time (so did my boyfriend)
the main problem we had on holiday was his sister and not flying (even though that was a bit of a problem).
my boyfriend said he enjoyed having someone else to cuggle up to on the plane so its all good if Bumby wants to join us again (which he plans on doing).
i felt a lot better having both of my guys with me for take off and i think it's going to be that way for quite some time

haha great. As I said I take my teddy on holiday. It's more of a tradition now, but she always goes and it's funny. I took her up the top of the Eiffel tower. It's just funny. Keep taking Bumby, he'll get upset if you don't take him!

[fffftiger]

don't worry, bumby will come everywhere with me from now on. if anyone doesn't like it then they can suck lemons coz i don't care.
i got funny looks from airport staff scanning hand luggage.
i've put a picture up on facebook of my boyfriend and bumby asleep in the airport
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=369843&l=c5a094533e&id=1618653361

bumby (as you'll recognise i'm sure) is actually thumper from bambi but i got bumby the day after i was born and as a child i could never say "bunny rabbit", it was always "bumby rabbit" so the name stuck
*edit* bumby looks like he's in dead good condition, i assure you, he's not. his other eye is all scratched off and he's full of random stitches and stains. he's nearly 19 years old! he's older than my boyfriend haha

[captainf]

Nice one. I thought it was Thumper when I saw the photo.
I'm sure the airport staff didnt think anything of Bumby - they've all seen much weirder stuff I can assure you.

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I'll have to look at the photo at home. I can't view face book when I am work