Airline Post

Virgin Atlantic Airways uses iPhone app for scared passengers

by TC on 05/11/09 at 6:30 pm

If you, like many other, have been afraid of flying ever since your first trip, fear no more! Virgin Atlantic Airways has launched a new service available for its passengers, a Flying Without Fear Course on iPhone, which works like a video-based presentation with frequently asked questions and tips for different relaxation exercises.

More and more people everywhere use iPhones and those who for some reason are scared of flying are not few either. A spokesman from Mental Workout, a company developing software to help people solve issues and increase mental performance, said an estimated one in every three adults were scared of flying.

The iPhone application was developed by the airline together with Mental Workout and has shown, based on the customer’s feedback, that the program has a success rate of over 98 percent.

This is Virgin Atlantic innovation at its best. Our first iPhone app will bring the benefits of our successful Flying Without Fear course to millions of people around the world who are now using mobile technology to make their lives better. The app will put many travelers at ease and enable them to prepare for their first Virgin Atlantic flight, stated Richard Branson, President of Virgin Atlantic.

The course starts with a personal introduction by Sir Richard Branson, followed by a video-based in-flight explanation and customized program to prepare you for future flights. Together with a fear attack button in case of emergencies you get 2,000 bonus points when joining Flying Club.

Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Without Fear team recently helped American actress Whoopi Goldberg overcome her fear of flying. The actress had not flown for a decade but a business commitment in London meant she had to step on a plane once again. After going through the course, Whoopi Goldberg said:

I was a sceptic. I hadn’t flown in 13 years but after doing their program, I understood that while my fear was real, there were many things I didn’t know or had misinformation about, which they were able to clear up. So what happened? The program works. I now fly. It’s that simple.

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