The six best books to combat the fear of flying

Photo by Max Delsid on Unsplash

Have you ever felt that the fear of flying has prevented you from being able to plan the trip of your dreams?

The fear of flying is a fear that around 25% of the world's population suffers today. The plane is the safest transport of all, but there are data that do not comfort those who suffer from this phobia. Luckily, there are different aids to be able to face it, and books are one of the most effective ways. Also with books, you can combat the fear of flying: through them you can learn to manage this type of situation, working in the best way with yourself to overcome it.

The number of books that talk about this topic is wide. To make it easier, we suggest a selection of six books to combat the fear of flying:

Happy Flight: How to Lose the Fear of Flying

A book written by an experienced former Iberia pilot (Javier del Campo) and a psychologist specializing in self-control and relaxation therapies (Luisa C. Martín). It allows you to discover the method guaranteed by a 95% efficiency to overcome the fear of flying. The first part is dedicated to aeronautics and the second develops psychological and relaxation techniques.

Beyond fear, quickly overcome fears, obsessions and phobias

Its author is Giorgio Nardone, a therapist specializing in phobic disorders. His extensive career has allowed him to develop different techniques to treat this disorder. It shows what is the origin of pathological fear and the ways in which it manifests and maintains in people, in order to help quickly overcome phobias, obsessions and panic.

Brussels Airlines improves results.....

Brussels Airlines closes its first semester of 2022 at -89 million euro, an improvement of 38% compared to the previous year. The first months of the year were still impacted by the consequences of Omicron, while June was marked by four days of flight disruptions due to strike actions. Inflation and high fuel costs continue to influence the airline’s results, but thanks to its restructuring, the airline is set up with a competitive cost position to face the future.

In the first half of this year, Brussels Airlines welcomed 2.73 million passengers on board its flights. This is three times higher than the same period last year, when the covid pandemic and subsequent travel bans plummeted air travel demand.

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​Brussels Airlines increased its revenue by EUR 314 million or 228% year-on-year to EUR 452 million in the first half year of 2022 (previous year: EUR 138 million), thanks to expanded flight operations and higher yields. The revenues in the first semester of 2022 were still impacted by slow demand at the beginning of the year due to the Omicron wave. Later in June, the airline faced four days of flight plan disruptions due to a national manifestation and social actions. If not taking into account the strike days, June was an EBIT-positive month, in line with the estimations of Brussels Airlines’ restructuring plan.

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​Operating expenses went up by a total of EUR 282 million or 97% to EUR 572 million (previous year: EUR 290 million), due to higher volume and steep increases of costs.

​Nina Oewerdieck, Chief Financial Officer at Brussels Airlines said:  “Not only the strike cut deep into our results, but also the automatic indexation in Belgium has driven up our labor cost by 6% this year alone, by 8% if we consider November’s indexation. The still very high fuel price and more general inflation, combined with the strong position of the dollar make that our costs have risen substantially. The strike impact on our financials shows how crucial social peace is for our company and we are moving in the right direction on this front, creating a renewed partnership with our unions. We continue to work on improvements for the long run in order to make sure we create growth and perspective for Brussels Airlines, while safeguarding our employees’ work-life balance.”

As a result, the Adjusted EBIT in the reporting period amounted to EUR -89 million (previous year: EUR -143 million), an improvement of 38% compared to the first semester of 2021.

​Nina Oewerdieck, Chief Financial Officer at Brussels Airlines said:  "We see a big improvement of our result compared to last year and we will continue to see improvements as we have reached a very competitive cost position thanks to our restructuring program and our positive yield development. Also operationally we are performing quite well given the very challenging circumstances in the aviation sector across Europe due to the very fast recovery of the market demand. This is thanks to the efforts of all our employees as well as all our partners."

SWISS posts first-half operating profit of CHF 67 million

SWISS returned to profit in the first six months of 2022 and posted an operating result of CHF 67.0 million for the period. The encouraging business developments that had been seen in the first few months of the year strengthened further in the second-quarter period. The national airline of Switzerland benefited in particular from sizeable booking demand and from the improved profitability provided by its completed restructuring activities. SWISS transported some 5.3 million passengers in the first six months of 2022, five times as many as it had carried in the prior-year period. The increase was reflected in first-half revenues, which totalled CHF 1.8 billion. Despite the likelihood of an economic slowdown, SWISS is also confident of returning to profit in its 2022 full-year results.

After some initial setbacks owing to the Omicron coronavirus variant in the first few weeks of 2022, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) saw the first signs of renewed growth in its booking volumes as early as the first-quarter period. The positive trend strengthened in the course of the second quarter; and first-half earnings were further boosted by the cost optimizations achieved through the company’s restructuring activities. Higher fuel costs were partially offset by the steep increase in customers’ travel activities and by higher ticket prices. Cargo business also remained buoyant, and again made a key contribution to overall financial results. Adjusted EBIT for the first half of 2022 amounted to CHF 67.0 million, a substantial CHF 465 million improvement on its prior-year level (H1 2021: CHF -398.2 million) that enabled a return to operating profit earlier than projected. Total revenues were raised 179.7 per cent to CHF 1.8 billion (H1 2021: CHF 659.3 million). First-half capacity was at 62 per cent of that of the comparable period in 2019; by contrast, first-half capacity in 2021 was at some 26 per cent of its 2019 level.

“We are delighted to be back in profit again after just the first six months of this year, and to have achieved this despite our still reduced capacities,” says SWISS Chief Financial Officer Markus Binkert. “The combination of substantial pent-up travel demand, higher ticket prices and our improved cost structures has had a very beneficial impact on our liquidity situation over the past few months. This also enabled us to terminate our bank loan facility which had been guaranteed by the Swiss Confederation ahead of time in the course of the second quarter.”

Positive trend strengthened in the second-quarter period

Southwest Airlines and Angelo State University Announce Destination 225° Partnership

Southwest is proud to welcome Angelo State University (ASU) to the Southwest Family as a university partner in Destination 225°, the airline's First Officer development and recruitment program. The Hispanic Serving Institution in San Angelo, Texas, is the sixth University partner in the program that provides a pathway for qualified aviators to join Southwest as Pilots.

"We're thrilled to welcome Angelo State University as a partner in Southwest's Destination 225° Program," said Lee Kinnebrew, Southwest's Vice President of Flight Operations. "We continue our work of opening career pathways for the next generation of professional pilots, and we look forward to supporting students as they train, gain flight experience and develop into competitively-qualified Southwest First Officer candidates in the years ahead."

ASU launched its Bachelor of Commercial Aviation program in the fall 2021 semester. Currently, there are 25 students in the first Flight Operations class, with 50 new students expected to join the program this fall. ASU students have access to Skyline Aviation's fleet of 12 aircraft and three flight simulators.

"We are honored for Angelo State to partner with Southwest Airlines' Destination 225° Program," ASU President Ronnie Hawkins, Jr., said. "As a Hispanic Serving Institution, we recognize the opportunity a partnership like this presents for all our students to become Pilots and aviation professionals, but especially minorities and women who are underrepresented in both the commercial and military aviation industry."

Norwegian carried over 2.2 million passengers during July

Norwegian had over 2.2 million passengers in July, the highest number since the outbreak of the pandemic. Norwegian operated 99.7 percent of its scheduled flights with a load factor of close to 95 percent, the highest in several years.

”This has been a great summer for Norwegian. In July, we had the highest load factor in many years, and we operated close to all scheduled flights despite the many demanding challenges the industry has faced. These results have been made possible thanks to our dedicated colleagues who are putting our customers at the heart of our operations”, said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

Norwegian flew 2,206,424 passengers in July, compared to 695,830 in July 2021. The load factor in July was 94.5 percent. The capacity (ASK) was 3,322 million seat kilometres, while actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 3,139 million seat kilometres, an increase of 27 percent from June. Punctuality, as measured by the number of flights departing within 15 minutes of the scheduled time, was at 62.2 percent in July. However, as many as 93 percent of all flights arrived on schedule or no more than an hour late. In July, Norwegian operated an average of 70 aircraft and 99.7 percent of scheduled flights were completed.

Norwegian entered into agreements with Widerøe and Norse Atlantic Airways in July with the aim to establish ticketing co-operation and simplify travel for our customers.

KLM will fly to adventurous Finnish Lapland

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will operate direct service between Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Rovaniemi in northern Finland every Saturday from 3 December 2022 through 25 March 2023. KLM will deploy a Boeing 737-800 on this route, which can carry up to 186 passengers. Rovaniemi is KLM’s second destination in Finland after Helsinki. By adding Rovaniemi to its network, KLM will meet the growing demand for adventurous winter trips to Lapland.

Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland and gateway to winter leisure travel. Rovaniemi is the last major city as one travels north into the remote and sprawling wilderness of Lapland, which one can explore on snow scooters or by husky safari. There’s also plenty to do in Rovaniemi itself, which offers a wide array of shops as well as cosy cafes and restaurants. You can also visit the home of Santa Claus, who lives in Santa Park. 

Flight schedule

Weekly flights will be operated on Saturdays with a Boeing 737-800, equipped with 30 seats in Business Class, six seats in Economy Comfort and 150 seats in Economy Class. Flights will only be operated during the winter season from 3 December 2022 through 25 March 2023.

KL1213 departs from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on Saturdays at 12:25, arriving at Rovaniemi Airport at 16:20.

KL1214 departs from Rovaniemi Airport on Saturdays at 17:10, arriving at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at 19:15.

Allegiant Travel Company has reported its second quarter of 2022 results .....

Allegiant Travel Company has reported the following financial results for the second quarter of 2022, as well as comparisons to prior years:

   

Consolidated	Three Months Ended June 30,						Percent Change
(unaudited) (in millions, except per share amounts)	2022		2021		2019		YoY		Yo3Y
Total operating revenue	$           629.8		$           472.4		$            491.8		33.3 %		28.1 %
Total operating expense	603.7		333.6		383.7		81.0		57.4
Operating income	26.1		138.9		108.1		(81.2)		(75.8)
Income before income taxes	5.8		122.6		91.8		(95.2)		(93.6)
Net income	4.4		95.0		70.5		(95.4)		(93.8)
Diluted earnings per share	$              0.24		$              5.49		$              4.33		(95.6)		(94.5)
	Six Months Ended June 30,						Percent Change
(unaudited) (in millions, except per share amounts)	2022		2021		2019		YoY		Yo3Y
Total operating revenue	$        1,130.0		$           751.6		$            943.4		50.3 %		19.8 %
Total operating expense	1,096.6		588.1		744.2		86.5		47.4
Operating income	33.4		163.5		199.2		(79.6)		(83.3)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(4.7)		131.2		165.7		(103.6)		(102.9)
Net income (loss)	(3.5)		101.9		127.7		(103.5)		(102.8)
Diluted earnings (loss) per share	$            (0.20)		$              6.04		$              7.84		(103.3)		(102.6)

(1)	Recognition bonus awarded despite not meeting internal profit-sharing targets
(2)	Denotes a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to the Non-GAAP Presentation section within this document for further information

"Demand surged in the second quarter resulting in the highest revenue-generating quarter in company history," stated John Redmond, CEO of Allegiant Travel Company. "Total operating revenue was up over 28 percent as compared with 2019. We saw impressive increases in TRASM of over 15 percent, year over three-year, particularly considering scheduled capacity was up over 13 percent. Earnings per share, adjusted to exclude the impact from the 2022 recognition bonus, was $0.62, pressured by lower productivity levels due to heightened fuel prices and a challenging operating environment.

"As we head into the third quarter, we continue to focus on operational integrity, ensuring safe and reliable travel for our customers. Our operations and planning teams have made significant progress combating the challenges present within the current operating environment. We have seen significant improvements in reliability into the third quarter, with a July controllable completion factor of 99 percent, as compared with 97 percent in June. We expect to finish the quarter with a controllable completion of over 99 percent.    

"Looking ahead to 2023, we remain focused on improving margins and our major strategic initiatives, including integration of the Boeing MAX fleet, and the opening of Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor. These are major undertakings for the company, but I believe these ventures will create significant shareholder value in the coming years. Retaining our talented leaders is critical to ensuring success with these initiatives. I was pleased to announce the appointments of Scott Sheldon and Gregory Anderson to President. Their superior leadership skills and combined 30 years of experience at Allegiant will play an integral role in the long-term success of the company.

"In closing, I am humbled by the hard work and dedication of our more than 5,000 team members across the network. This industry is not for the faint of heart, but we truly have the best employees. I cannot thank them enough for making Allegiant the successful airline we are today."

640,000 passengers passed through from London City Airport over June and July

As the summer getaway commenced, London City served 640,000 passengers across June and July and remains on course to reach the 3 million mark by the end of the year.

August is also set to be busy, with over 300,000 passengers expected to travel as the airport closes in on one million passengers for the core summer travel months.

With the airport teams fully staffed since the start of the getaway, London City has delivered a consistently high level of customer service and continues to, on average, get passengers from the DLR to their gate lounge inside 25 minutes.

London City is also urging passengers who are booked to travel in August to turn up no more than 2 hours before their flight and to be prepared for security in order to make the experience as smooth and as stress free as possible for everyone.

While the UK Government’s slot amnesty resulted in small changes to the airport schedule, London City’s operation has been largely unaffected through August and airlines have some remaining capacity on key domestic and short-haul European routes.

With the airport welcoming almost 70% of its 2019 passenger numbers over the same period, the staples of Amsterdam, Edinburgh and Zurich remained the busiest overall routes. However, Ibiza has been the strongest leisure performer, followed by Florence, Palma, Nice and Malaga.

Commenting on the results the Airport’s Chief Executive, Robert Sinclair, said:  “We have made a conscious effort with our airlines to attract more leisure routes and passengers this summer and the fact we could reach close to 1 million passengers for the period is testament to the resilience of our operation and quality of the passenger experience we offer. For anybody considering a last-minute getaway, we would love to welcome them at London City.

American Airlines announces investment in hydrogen-electric engine developer ZeroAvia

American Airlines announced this week, its investment in ZeroAvia, a leader in hydrogen-electric, zero-emission aviation. In addition to the investment, a memorandum of understanding provides American the opportunity to order up to 100 engines from ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric powertrain development program. The engines are intended to power regional jet aircraft with zero emissions.

“Our investment in ZeroAvia’s emerging hydrogen-electric engine technology has the potential to play a key role in the future of sustainable aviation,” said Derek Kerr, American’s Chief Financial Officer. “We are excited to contribute to this industry development and look forward to exploring how these engines can support the future of our airline as we build American Airlines to thrive forever.”

ZeroAvia is working to achieve certain type certifications of its innovative propulsion technology that will pave the way for the engines to be incorporated into the regional jet market in the future. The ZA2000-RJ powertrain is anticipated to enable passengers to fly in zero-emission regional jets as early as the late 2020s.

June Air Cargo: Stable and Resilient

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for global air cargo markets showing healthy and stable performance.  Note: We returned to year-on-year traffic comparisons, instead of comparisons with the 2019 period, unless otherwise noted.  Global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs*), was 6.4% below June 2021 levels (-6.6% for international operations). This was an improvement on the year-on-year decline of 8.3% seen in May. Global demand for the first half-year was 4.3% below 2021 levels (-4.2% for international operations). Compared to pre-COVID levels (2019) half-year demand was up 2.2%.   Capacity was 6.7% above June 2021 (+9.4% for international operations). This was an increase on the 2.7% year-on-year growth recorded in May. Capacity for the first half-year was up 4.5% (+5.7% for international operations) compared to first half-year of 2021. Compared to pre-COVID levels demand was up 2.5%.    Air cargo performance is being impacted by several factors.   Trade activity ramped-up slightly in June as lockdowns in China due to Omicron were eased. Emerging regions (Latin America and Africa) also contributed to growth with stronger volumes.   New export orders, a leading indicator of cargo demand and world trade, decreased in all markets, except China.   The war in Ukraine continues to impair cargo capacity used to serve Europe as several airlines based in Russia and Ukraine were key cargo players.

Etihad Airways has firmed up its order with Airbus for seven new generation A350F freighters

Etihad Airways has firmed up its order with Airbus for seven new generation A350F freighters, following its earlier commitment announced at the Singapore Airshow. The freighters will upgrade Etihad’s freight capacity by deploying the most efficient cargo aircraft available in the market.

This order of the A350F sees the national carrier of the UAE expanding its relationship with Airbus, and adding to its existing order of the largest passenger version of A350-1000s, five of which have been delivered. 

Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “In building one of the world’s youngest and most sustainable fleets, we are delighted to extend our long-term partnership with Airbus to add the A350 Freighter to our fleet. This additional cargo capacity will support the unprecedented growth we are experiencing in the Etihad Cargo division. Airbus has developed a remarkable fuel-efficient aircraft that, in tandem with the A350-1000 in our passenger fleet, supports our commitment to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

“Airbus is delighted to extend its long-standing partnership with Etihad Airways, who recently introduced the A350 passenger services and is continuing to build on the Family with the game-changing freighter version, the A350F,” said Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International. “This new generation large freighter brings unprecedented and unmatched benefits in terms of range, fuel efficiency and CO₂ savings, that support customers by enhancing operational efficiencies at the same time as reducing environmental impact.”