Press Release

Around a third of all people feel uncomfortable on board, and around 15 per cent suffer from severe fear of flying. Instead of only temporarily combating fear of flying with medication, it is advisable for those affected to overcome their fear of flying in the long term by attending a seminar. Lufthansa Aviation Training (LAT) offers two types of group seminars to address different wishes and preferences: a weekend seminar in a small group and an intensive seminar in a large group. As situational fears such as fear of flying have been proven to be treated quickly and effectively through exposure exercises, all LAT offers include an accompanied practice flight.  

 

Sebastian Wilker, Head of Beyond Aviation Training, Lufthansa Aviation Training GmbH: "For us as Lufthansa Group, it is a very special concern to discover the joy of flying together with people who are afraid of flying. To achieve this, we draw upon the expertise of our crews and provide fear-relieving experiences on a joint flight. We are delighted that we have been able to offer our own seminars for a more relaxed flying experience in both Germany and Switzerland since this year." 

 

In cooperation with scientists from Ruhr University Bochum, LAT offers a one-day intensive seminar on overcoming fear of flying in large groups with up to 125 participants. The innovative and effective large-group format was developed and evaluated as part of large-scale studies conducted by the Research and Treatment Center for Mental Health at Ruhr University Bochum. Following the successful completion of the studies, the intensive seminar is now available on the market as a cooperation between the LAT and Gesellschaft für Psychologische Gesundheitsdienstleistungen - Bochum mbH (GPG Bochum). 

 

Dr. Andre Wannemüller, Partner and Managing Director, GPG Bochum: "We are very pleased about the partnership with LAT. The Lufthansa Group has stood for quality, innovation and customer orientation in aviation for decades. We therefore see it as the ideal partner for the implementation of our intensive training courses against fear of flying. In these training courses, we want to provide participants with the latest, scientifically proven content for reducing anxiety in an atmosphere of support and togetherness, which should lead to a rapid and lasting reduction in their fear of flying." 

 

In the morning of the intensive seminar, a psychotherapist and a pilot will provide information on the development of anxiety and the technology of airplanes and answer questions that people with fear of flying often ask, e.g. about turbulences, noises or the effects of the weather. In the afternoon, there is the opportunity to participate in a joint charter flight accompanied by specially trained psychologists and psychotherapists. During the security check, boarding and the flight, participants receive intensive support in small groups of five people. The special nature of the charter flight makes it possible to gain new and anxiety-relieving experiences during the 90-minute flight and share this experience with like-minded people. 

 

The weekend seminar is designed for small groups of six to twelve participants. Over two days, the participants are familiarized with the world of flying by psychologists, a flight attendant and a pilot. On the one hand, a pilot answers all questions about the technology, e.g. why turbulence is not a problem for the aircraft or what the noises from take-off to landing mean, and provides insights into everyday flying during the visit to the hangar. On the other hand, a psychologist imparts knowledge about anxiety, its triggers and symptoms and teaches the participants various tools, such as relaxation techniques. On the second day, the theory learned is directly applied in practice as the participants, accompanied by the psychologist and a flight attendant, take a scheduled flight together (outbound and return flight). Before the flight takes off, the seminar prepares for it together with mind exercises, a flight briefing and relaxation exercises. 

 

The seminars are currently taking place in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich. Further information can be found here: https://www.lufthansa-aviation-training.com/fear-of-flying-seminar 

 

About Lufthansa Aviation Training: 

With its competencies in training flight and cabin crews at ten training locations worldwide, Lufthansa Aviation Training GmbH (LAT) is among the world leaders in the field of aviation training. The company is headquartered at Munich Airport and employs around 800 people at all its locations. Its client portfolio encompasses more than 250 nationally and internationally renowned airlines, among them the Lufthansa Group airlines. LAT operates close to 200 training devices. These include training aircraft for pilot training, flight simulators for all common aircraft types for pilot training, as well as emergency and service mock-ups for cabin crews. The flight schools of the Lufthansa Group are joined under LAT’s brand European Flight Academy (EFA). 

 

About Gesellschaft für psychologische Gesundheitsdienstleistungen Bochum mbH: 

The Gesellschaft für psychologische Gesundheitsdienstleistungen Bochum mbH (GPG Bochum) focuses on maintaining, promoting and restoring mental health and well-being. One of its main areas of work is the sustainable overcoming of fear of flying. It was founded by scientists from the Research and Treatment Center for Mental Health at the Ruhr University Bochum, which also systematically evaluates the LAT and GPG Bochum seminars.