FRIGHTENED PASSENGERS

FRIGHTENED
Of Flying? Amazingly many people still are, so you are not alone. Courses are now run to help people overcome this problem. As a Captain you were not usually the first person to be aware of the problem. A Senior Steward would probably arrive on the flight deck to advise you that in spite of all the best efforts made by the cabin crew to contain the problem they really would appreciate you coming back to help. This required you to put on your jacket, tighten your tie and put your cap on. Company image and all that.

Some passengers then start to worry about what you are doing and is it safe without you in the left hand seat trying to earn your pay. A steward/ess will usually be in attendance with the affected passenger. The first task of course is to try and calm them down if possible. No one can guarantee the passenger’s reaction at this point. I have seen floods of tears, close to high-pitch screaming, stomping of feet and even attempts to crawl under the seat with a blanket.

If all attempts to console the passenger had failed there was no point in trying further explanations. I would then decide to invite the lady (it always was a lady…) up to the flight deck and reduce the scale of drama away from her fellow passengers. Having had a quiet word with the cabin staff still involved, I would precede them to the flight deck as she was gently helped forward. When seated in the central third pilots seat the steward would then ask her what she would like to drink. With the environment completed changed we encouraged her to take in the expansive view all around her.

Her attitude changed almost immediately as we pointed out various locations and she started asking questions whilst slowly sipping a nice glass of white wine. Eventually she even began to ask questions about various instruments and within less than ten minutes was clearly enjoying the fuss she was receiving and a normal demeanour returned in both conversation and behaviour. She then having calmed down returned happily to her own seat. This of course was many years ago when access to the flight deck either on request or, as in her case, because of a panic attack, was allowed. I did experience the benefit of this facility then and followed this same procedure around another four or five times before I retired. Within the book I retell a more frightening story of an an approach that went rapidly pear-shaped on an approach into Gibraltar. My wife was on board and she reported passengers praying and saying their rosaries. This was in the days before the major concerns about terrorism took hold of the industry.

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