Why We Fear Flying: The Hassles and Real Phobias Behind Today’s Air Travel

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A stranded United Airlines passenger sits with his bags in Terminal 1 at O'Hare International Airport. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Hour 2

It’s summertime and planes are packed with vacationers trying to escape their hectic and stressful lives for a few days or a few weeks.  But for most of us, airline travel these days is the antithesis of relaxing – just booking a flight or stepping into the airport can send your blood pressure soaring.  It’s not surprising that in a recent customer satisfaction poll the airline industry came out on the bottom.  According to the survey, passengers are tired of paying higher prices — including all those additional baggage fees – and getting worse service.  This hour, we talk about the airlines and air travel with SCOTT MCCARTNEY, travel editor for the Wall Street Journal.  And, are you afraid of flying?  Do you get anxious just thinking about buying a ticket?  Psychologist MARTIN SEIF, Associate Director of the Anxiety and Phobia Treatment Center at White Plains Hospital explains why some of us fear flying and how we can overcome it.

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[audio: 071211_110630.mp3]

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