0:00:03 > 0:00:05We asked you, who has left you feeling ripped off
0:00:05 > 0:00:06when it comes to your holidays?
0:00:06 > 0:00:09And you came back with a catalogue of travel disasters.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12A holiday is supposed to be a time of relaxing,
0:00:12 > 0:00:13not a time of more stress,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16and certainly not a time of stress whilst you're away.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18It's just annoying that you think, "What next?
0:00:18 > 0:00:21"What are they going to put a charge on next?"
0:00:21 > 0:00:25So, whether it is a deliberate rip-off, a simple mistake,
0:00:25 > 0:00:26or a catch in the small print,
0:00:26 > 0:00:31we'll find out why you're out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Your stories, your money.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Hello and welcome to another episode of Rip-Off Britain
0:00:39 > 0:00:41from the island of Tenerife,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44where we're investigating what's gone wrong with your holidays.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47Well, like millions of people every year,
0:00:47 > 0:00:48we, of course, flew to get here,
0:00:48 > 0:00:50but we know from all your e-mails and letters
0:00:50 > 0:00:54that it isn't always plain sailing when you take to the skies.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55Anything but, in fact.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Today, we're going to be hearing some really very good reasons
0:00:58 > 0:01:01why even the most seasoned travellers amongst us
0:01:01 > 0:01:04can, from time to time, get into a bit of a flap about flying.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06And, of course, that means we're going to have
0:01:06 > 0:01:09everything you need to know to make sure that the same problems
0:01:09 > 0:01:10aren't going to happen to you.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14So, whether you've fallen foul of an airline's particular policies,
0:01:14 > 0:01:18or perhaps you just hate the idea of being 35,000 feet up in the air,
0:01:18 > 0:01:20we'll have some useful advice for you,
0:01:20 > 0:01:22so the next time you're on a flight,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26your mood and your temper can at least stay firmly grounded.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32Coming up, the parents separated from their children on flights
0:01:32 > 0:01:37despite paying a premium to guarantee they would sit together.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39It was really dreadful as a mum
0:01:39 > 0:01:40to not be with your children
0:01:40 > 0:01:42and to be able to, like, protect them and look after them.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44Jake, he's only two years old.
0:01:44 > 0:01:49Him being with strangers on that flight, it was really horrible.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53And a last-ditch attempt to cure a long held fear of flying,
0:01:53 > 0:01:54but does it really work?
0:01:55 > 0:01:58I just need to get onto the plane now,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01cos we've been now talking about it since this morning.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03I just need to go and do it now.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10You know, flying with children is probably not most people's idea
0:02:10 > 0:02:13of a relaxing start to their holiday.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16For passengers travelling without kids, sitting next to, behind,
0:02:16 > 0:02:20or even worse, in front of someone else's little darling,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23can make a long flight seem even longer.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24And of course, for the parents,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27keeping the young ones still and quiet for hours on end
0:02:27 > 0:02:29is quite a challenge.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31And things can be even more stressful still
0:02:31 > 0:02:35if a family can't sit together, which can and does happen.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37In fact, many airlines now suggest
0:02:37 > 0:02:40that the only way to guarantee sitting next to your own children
0:02:40 > 0:02:44is to pay in advance to reserve seats together.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46But, you know, that's really not necessary.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Visitor numbers may have dipped in the wake of terror attacks
0:02:51 > 0:02:53and other headline-grabbing events,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56but Turkey remains a firm favourite with British holiday-makers,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00most of them coming for its beautiful coast and beaches.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Among those to go there last summer
0:03:05 > 0:03:07were Kim Robinson and her husband, Steve.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09They have to be pretty organised when they travel,
0:03:09 > 0:03:14as they've got four children, ranging in ages between two and 14.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18We have been on holiday once before with the children,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21and booking the flights and the seats,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24it's a bit of a military operation, really, ensuring that...
0:03:24 > 0:03:26everything runs smoothly,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29that the children are sat with myself and my husband,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31and everything's organised, ready to go.
0:03:31 > 0:03:32Wow...!
0:03:32 > 0:03:36Kim booked the family's trip to Turkey five months in advance
0:03:36 > 0:03:38with holiday company Thomson.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40And, on top of the cost of the flights,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43she paid an additional fee of ?95
0:03:43 > 0:03:46to be sure the family could all sit next to one another
0:03:46 > 0:03:47on both legs of the journey.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52We went away about four, five years ago,
0:03:52 > 0:03:54and we paid to book our seats then,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57and we found it just made the whole process much less stressful,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00because as well, we have our youngest child as well now,
0:04:00 > 0:04:01who's only two,
0:04:01 > 0:04:05and because of Emily needing somebody with her,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08we'd felt it would just be a lot less hassle to sit together.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11But when it came to choosing their seats online,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Kim was dismayed to discover that she could only select seats
0:04:15 > 0:04:17for the flight out, and not the return.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22It seemed really odd that online we could visually select our seats,
0:04:22 > 0:04:24and it gave us our seat numbers,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26and we could do all of that for the flight out to Turkey,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30but when I noticed that there was no flight chartered back from Turkey,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32it seemed really confusing,
0:04:32 > 0:04:34and nobody seemed to be able to tell us why.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Thomson eventually explained that this was because
0:04:38 > 0:04:40they'd be flying back with a different company,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43the Turkish-owned Pegasus Airlines.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45So the family would need to contact Pegasus
0:04:45 > 0:04:48in order to confirm their seat bookings for the journey home.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53My husband had tried to contact Pegasus directly,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55but there was quite a serious language barrier,
0:04:55 > 0:04:56and so he then rang Thomson and explained
0:04:56 > 0:04:58that we couldn't physically speak to Pegasus
0:04:58 > 0:05:00and it was something that they would have to do.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03We'd paid them the money to reserve the seats,
0:05:03 > 0:05:06and it was up to them to kind of ensure we could do that.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07PHONE RINGS
0:05:07 > 0:05:11After more phone calls and visits to their local Thomson branch,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14the company rang the couple back, and told them that,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16though they couldn't choose their Pegasus seats in advance,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19they would be able to sit together.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23The fact that we'd actually paid to select our seats was irritating,
0:05:23 > 0:05:25but I was willing to accept that I couldn't select my seats
0:05:25 > 0:05:29on the basis, that as a family, we would be sat together.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Reassured by this, the family thought little more about it
0:05:32 > 0:05:35until the end of their holiday, that is,
0:05:35 > 0:05:37when the time came for them to check in
0:05:37 > 0:05:39for their Pegasus return flight at Dalaman Airport.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44When they were issued with their actual seat reservations,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47their worst fears were realised.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51It became very clear that we were sat not even near each other,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54we were sat at complete opposite ends of the aircraft.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57And so, at this point, my husband became very distressed and he said,
0:05:57 > 0:05:59"There is no way we're getting on that plane
0:05:59 > 0:06:00"unless we are sat together."
0:06:02 > 0:06:03The airport staff assured them
0:06:03 > 0:06:06that the issue would be sorted out on the plane.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08However, when they boarded,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11they were told to sit in their allocated seats by the stewards.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14In a crowded plane and with their children dotted across it,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17the couple were powerless to do anything
0:06:17 > 0:06:20while people continued to cram onto the aircraft.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23I was actually sat in that seat in tears,
0:06:23 > 0:06:27and I couldn't understand that, as a 32-year-old mother of four,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30I was sat crying, and nobody was willing to help me.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33I worried about all the children on the plane,
0:06:33 > 0:06:34but predominantly Jake and Emily.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Jake, because he's only two years old,
0:06:38 > 0:06:42him being with strangers on that flight was quite a concern of mine.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45And Emily, she was tired and I wasn't sure how she would react
0:06:45 > 0:06:47being around strangers, and on the flight,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50she was quite worried about taking off and landing as well,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53so it was really dreadful, as a mum, to not be with your children
0:06:53 > 0:06:56and to be able to protect them and look after them on that flight.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58It was... It was really horrible.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Finally, Kim's husband, Steve, stood up
0:07:03 > 0:07:06and tried to explain the situation to the flight attendants.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08But when they seemed unwilling to help,
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Steve had to resort to asking if any of their fellow passengers
0:07:11 > 0:07:14would be willing to swap their seats.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Luckily, three strangers on board did volunteer to help,
0:07:17 > 0:07:20so the younger children at least wouldn't be left alone.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24Three people in front very kindly moved,
0:07:24 > 0:07:28so we could move forward and I could sit with Jake and Ollie on takeoff,
0:07:28 > 0:07:30and then after that we moved around a bit
0:07:30 > 0:07:33so we could both take it in turns to sit with Jake,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35while having Ollie and Alfie near us
0:07:35 > 0:07:37and Emily just a bit further down the plane in front,
0:07:37 > 0:07:39but she could swap if needed.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42The relief was immense, cos I could at least see my children
0:07:42 > 0:07:46and I could hold Ollie's hand and be with Jake.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47That was a relief.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50But I still felt bad that I'd asked somebody on their holiday,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53coming back from their holiday, to move.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56I felt bad that they'd had to move.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Um, I felt absolutely desolate that nobody had helped me,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02that none of the air stewardesses,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06air stewards or anything had offered to intervene or help
0:08:06 > 0:08:08or do anything at all.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Months after the incident, Kim and Steve remain upset at what happened,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16especially as the extra money they'd paid at the beginning
0:08:16 > 0:08:19was supposed to guarantee they could sit together.
0:08:21 > 0:08:22When I reflect back upon what happened,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25it still makes me more sad than angry,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27more upset that myself and my children and my husband
0:08:27 > 0:08:29were put in that position,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32that we'd paid for a service we didn't receive,
0:08:32 > 0:08:35that we didn't receive any satisfactory feedback
0:08:35 > 0:08:37for what happened.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41And it has put me off flying again.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Well, when we contacted the airlines involved,
0:08:43 > 0:08:48Thomson told us it was really sorry to hear of the family's experience,
0:08:48 > 0:08:50and is looking into what happened with its partner airline...
0:08:54 > 0:08:58It reiterated that, as the return journey was not on its own airline,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00pre-booked seats weren't available,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03so it's refunded the seat selection fee the family paid.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09For its part, Pegasus Airlines insisted
0:09:09 > 0:09:12that, as the flight had been chartered by Thomson,
0:09:12 > 0:09:14all sales, ticketing and reservations
0:09:14 > 0:09:16were Thomson's responsibility.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19It went on to say that its charter flight seats
0:09:19 > 0:09:22are allocated during check-in according to availability,
0:09:22 > 0:09:26and that, as Kim and Steve were some of the last people to check in,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28staff offered them the best seats they could.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32It added that, once on board, as other passengers will also
0:09:32 > 0:09:34want to sit with the people in their group,
0:09:34 > 0:09:38all that cabin crew can do is politely speak to other guests
0:09:38 > 0:09:40and try to assist as best as possible,
0:09:40 > 0:09:42as they did on this occasion.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47Now, you might think it would be a no-brainer
0:09:47 > 0:09:50that young children are seated with their family on flights.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54But there's no legal requirement for that to happen.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57The Civil Aviation Authority says it should be the aim of airlines
0:09:57 > 0:10:00to put children close to their parents or guardians
0:10:00 > 0:10:02in order to ensure access,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05and passengers' safety in an emergency.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07However, it does also say -
0:10:07 > 0:10:10and this is a really useful fact to remember -
0:10:10 > 0:10:12that no plane is allowed to take off
0:10:12 > 0:10:15if a child is separated from an accompanying adult
0:10:15 > 0:10:17by more than one row.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20Even so, an increasing number of airlines
0:10:20 > 0:10:23now tell parents that the only way they can guarantee
0:10:23 > 0:10:26that they'll sit with their children is by paying extra
0:10:26 > 0:10:29to pre-book seats, and depending on the airline,
0:10:29 > 0:10:33that can cost anything between ?8 and ?65.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35But, as Kim's experience shows,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38even then you might not get what you paid for.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42But our resident travel expert, Simon Calder,
0:10:42 > 0:10:45feels very strongly about this issue,
0:10:45 > 0:10:48and says passengers should be confident of their rights
0:10:48 > 0:10:51when booking flights as a family.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53Airlines know full well
0:10:53 > 0:10:56that they have to sit families in close proximity.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00Any airline that pretends that it can't do, that it won't do,
0:11:00 > 0:11:04that you have to pay, is frankly telling porkies.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07They must make sure that parents and children
0:11:07 > 0:11:09are sat close to each other,
0:11:09 > 0:11:13and the plane isn't going anywhere until they do.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Our travel expert, Simon Calder,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22has all the secrets to save you money on your travels.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26He's full of tips on everything from how to avoid the crowds
0:11:26 > 0:11:29to the best way to steer clear of those tourist traps.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31CAMERA CLICKS
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Today, he's identifying once-in-a-lifetime trips
0:11:34 > 0:11:37that are perfect if money isn't an issue.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Sometimes, you have to mark a big event -
0:11:39 > 0:11:42a wedding, an anniversary, a special birthday -
0:11:42 > 0:11:45with a big, no-expenses-spared trip.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48So what's the best choice when you want to splash out?
0:11:48 > 0:11:52Where can you get the biggest bang for your hard-earned bucks?
0:11:52 > 0:11:55I've got three very different options.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Antarctica is the destination of choice
0:12:02 > 0:12:05for people who want to go to the very end of the earth.
0:12:05 > 0:12:10But to make your experience of the frozen continent truly memorable,
0:12:10 > 0:12:12plan wisely.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Simon recommends choosing an expedition vessel
0:12:16 > 0:12:18with no more than 200 passengers.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22Most ships leave from Ushuaia, at the southern tip of Argentina,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25and it'll take two days of buffeting across the Drake Passage
0:12:25 > 0:12:28to reach Antarctica, as part of a ten-day expedition
0:12:28 > 0:12:31that typically costs from around ?4,000.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34But if all that sounds a bit too adventurous,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38then Simon has a more traditionally glamorous suggestion.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45The Venice-Simplon Orient Express is a collection of antique carriages
0:12:45 > 0:12:49that mostly shuttles between Calais and Venice via Paris.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52It has a connection from London which goes as far as Folkestone,
0:12:52 > 0:12:56where you can get on a coach to drive onto a Eurotunnel train.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59But if you really want to push the boat out,
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Simon has a far more luxurious proposition.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05So, instead, here's my prescription.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09Fly to Venice, Marco Polo Airport,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11and take a water taxi to a 5-star hotel
0:13:11 > 0:13:14for the most indulgent night of your life.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Then, next day, head for the station,
0:13:16 > 0:13:20where the train is waiting for an 11am departure,
0:13:20 > 0:13:22and gives you an afternoon of fantastic views
0:13:22 > 0:13:25all the way to Innsbruck and beyond.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27For the final part of the trip,
0:13:27 > 0:13:31you can snooze through eastern France and wake up in Paris.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34And while everyone else waits for the engine to be changed
0:13:34 > 0:13:36for the rather laborious journey to London...
0:13:36 > 0:13:40You can indulge in a perfect Parisian breakfast,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42then check out the latest exhibition,
0:13:42 > 0:13:43do a little light shopping,
0:13:43 > 0:13:48and return to London at high speed in the posh seats on Eurostar,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50saving time and money.
0:13:50 > 0:13:51Not that you're counting!
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Now, either of these trips would cost a small fortune
0:13:58 > 0:14:02but the ultimate indulgence - if money really is no object -
0:14:02 > 0:14:04would be to hire a private island,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07like Ilha Grande close to Rio de Janeiro.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11A week here costs not far off ?10,000.
0:14:11 > 0:14:12Treasure the island,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15but then escape to explore the superb coast of Brazil.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Then have a grand day out in Rio,
0:14:18 > 0:14:20before your overnight flight back to Britain,
0:14:20 > 0:14:24in a flat bed in business class, of course.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27And even with some serious shopping and dining,
0:14:27 > 0:14:31you should still have change out of ?50,000
0:14:31 > 0:14:34for the trip of a lifetime for all of you.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Once the preserve of only the rich,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45over recent decades, air travel has become so commonplace
0:14:45 > 0:14:49that up to three billion of us take to the skies every single year.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53But, you know, it's reckoned that around a quarter of us
0:14:53 > 0:14:56are, in varying degrees, actually afraid of flying,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59making British travellers the most fearful in Europe.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01So several of the airlines run courses
0:15:01 > 0:15:04that are designed to overcome the fear of flying
0:15:04 > 0:15:05once and for all.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07And, to see if they actually work,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10we went along with a particularly nervous flyer,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12as she gave one of them a try.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22For thousands of years, humans have had a fascination with flying,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25and initially at least, our attempts to get airborne
0:15:25 > 0:15:27had very mixed results!
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Though we have now got the hang of it,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34and plane journeys have become statistically
0:15:34 > 0:15:36the absolute safest way to travel.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38For many passengers, though,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41the very thought of flying can send them into a spin.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Natalie Pearce from Oxfordshire is one.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49Her fear of flying began 20 years ago, over 30,000 feet in the air.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53At the end of the '90s, when we were flying back from Tenerife,
0:15:53 > 0:15:56we experienced a bit of turbulence
0:15:56 > 0:15:59and then we hit what I thought was an air pocket,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02where it feels like you're dropping out of the sky.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Um...
0:16:04 > 0:16:07Only lasted seconds, but felt like hours.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Now, even contemplating a plane journey
0:16:10 > 0:16:13has Natalie racked with fear and anxiety.
0:16:13 > 0:16:14I think as I have got older
0:16:14 > 0:16:16and probably since I've had the children,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19I've always thought more of the safety aspect as well.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21If I hear any noises when I'm on the plane,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24I then get worried as to what they are.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Or that the wings aren't working properly.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30Natalie's concerned that things have got so bad
0:16:30 > 0:16:33it's limiting not only her view of the world,
0:16:33 > 0:16:35but also her children's.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37It has obviously restricted where we can go to,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41and we probably don't go away as much as perhaps I used to.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44There's so much to see out there, you know,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46that we're not seeing because we're so limited
0:16:46 > 0:16:48as to where we can go and what we can do.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54At present, the only way she can board an aircraft
0:16:54 > 0:16:57is after taking prescription medication,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00and even then, her fears don't disappear completely.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06I've had to, in the past, take prescribed medication
0:17:06 > 0:17:09to enable me to get onto a plane.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11I have a partner that's very understanding,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14that allows me to grip hold of his hand very tightly,
0:17:14 > 0:17:20and also talk to me while we're on the flight about what's happening
0:17:20 > 0:17:22and to try and calm me down.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25So I have got slightly better, like I say,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27him supporting me and talking to me,
0:17:27 > 0:17:31but I'm still a long way off being OK about flying!
0:17:33 > 0:17:38And that's all come to a head since Natalie's father moved to Cyprus.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41She knows that unless she can conquer her fear of flying,
0:17:41 > 0:17:46she and her children are unlikely to ever visit him in his new home.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Oh, wow, look, that looks amazing, Imogen, doesn't it?
0:17:50 > 0:17:52I would love to go to Cyprus to see my dad,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55and obviously for the children to go out there and see their grandad.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58He moved out there 18 months ago.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00He still comes back here, but it'd be lovely...
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Even though we've seen pictures of his place in Cyprus,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06it would be lovely to actually go out there
0:18:06 > 0:18:07and stay with him for a while.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12A fear of flying, sometimes called aviophobia,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16can lead to a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, trembling,
0:18:16 > 0:18:18and tightening of the stomach muscles,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22along with an overwhelming desire to escape the situation.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25But though Natalie's tried various medications,
0:18:25 > 0:18:29and alternative therapies to beat it, none have worked.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32So now, after years of trying to pluck up the courage,
0:18:32 > 0:18:34she's ready to try one of the courses
0:18:34 > 0:18:38that airlines run to tackle the problem head-on.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41I really want to overcome my fear,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45I also want to know why things are making certain noises.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49I would like to know sometimes what the speak is on the tannoys
0:18:49 > 0:18:51between the pilots and the air hostesses,
0:18:51 > 0:18:53cos sometimes that panics me a bit,
0:18:53 > 0:18:55I think they're speaking in a secret code
0:18:55 > 0:18:58to say there's a problem with the plane.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01So just have a greater understanding of the whole thing.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05We're going to accompany Natalie on a daylong course
0:19:05 > 0:19:11with Virgin Atlantic, bought for her by her mother at a cost of ?267.
0:19:11 > 0:19:16It is a last, desperate attempt to get herself airborne.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Though the course claims a 98% success rate,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21there's no guarantee that it will work,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24and as she heads to the airport, ready to begin,
0:19:24 > 0:19:26all she can think of are the downsides to flying.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30Getting off the plane at the end
0:19:30 > 0:19:32is the only thing I like.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36There's absolutely nothing else about flying that I like at all.
0:19:36 > 0:19:41It can have a physical effect on me, as in I can get an upset stomach,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43and, like I say, I get very anxious about it,
0:19:43 > 0:19:45and I can feel nauseous as well.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Richard Conway is the co-founder of this particular course,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52and he has first-hand experience
0:19:52 > 0:19:55of just how debilitating such fear can be.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57I did have a fear of flying.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02My overcoming it showed me so much about how to help other people.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05The programme started with a need for helping nervous flyers,
0:20:05 > 0:20:10and we wanted to do this and really change people's lives in one day,
0:20:10 > 0:20:11which is what we do.
0:20:11 > 0:20:16Of course, a fear of flying is also bad news for airlines like Virgin,
0:20:16 > 0:20:17so it's in their interest
0:20:17 > 0:20:20to get anxious passengers back into the sky.
0:20:20 > 0:20:25The latest research that we have our hands on is from 2012,
0:20:25 > 0:20:27and it shows at least 30% of the population
0:20:27 > 0:20:30have a fear of flying of some sort,
0:20:30 > 0:20:34and that can be from the mildly anxious to the utterly terrified.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38So there's a need. I have to say that our dream would be
0:20:38 > 0:20:41for no-one to be booking the courses.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44The course is delivered in two parts,
0:20:44 > 0:20:46kicking off with a session in the classroom,
0:20:46 > 0:20:49and then the real deal up in the air.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52But even waiting to go into the classroom
0:20:52 > 0:20:56has pushed Natalie's anxiety levels sky-high.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58I'm getting a bit more anxious.
0:20:58 > 0:20:59I was just speaking to someone
0:20:59 > 0:21:02who I presume is running a bit of the course,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04I don't know what part he's doing,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08but he was asking me about my fears and how it started,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11and it was just making me a bit more stressful and anxious
0:21:11 > 0:21:16in reiterating what my fears are, so I don't know, we shall see.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20But then the course gets underway,
0:21:20 > 0:21:24with the tutors trying to erase years of fear and panic.
0:21:24 > 0:21:29We see between 2,000 and 3,000 people every single year.
0:21:29 > 0:21:30How many people drove here today?
0:21:32 > 0:21:36How many people were passengers when they came here today?
0:21:36 > 0:21:40The car was serviced this morning, the engineers had looked at it
0:21:40 > 0:21:44and checked it over completely and signed it off? Yes?
0:21:44 > 0:21:46LAUGHTER No?
0:21:46 > 0:21:49All of these things that revolved around incidents and accidents,
0:21:49 > 0:21:53the lessons learned are, trust the systems, cos the systems work.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Incidents involving aircraft are so rare, they always make headlines.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00So, with the tutors confident
0:22:00 > 0:22:02that they've helped the group rationalise their fears
0:22:02 > 0:22:06and understand that the risks of flying are relatively low,
0:22:06 > 0:22:08the classroom part of the day is over,
0:22:08 > 0:22:09and it's time to put into practice
0:22:09 > 0:22:12everything they've learned on the ground.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16I've just realised quite how irrational some of my fears were,
0:22:16 > 0:22:19but then you're only going to overcome those
0:22:19 > 0:22:23by having pilots or other people telling you, isn't it?
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Steady as a rock, I fly with that hand!
0:22:26 > 0:22:27THEY LAUGH Just as they look at us!
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Oh, hang on.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32But as they head off to the aircraft,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36Natalie has fresh concerns about whether what she's been taught
0:22:36 > 0:22:39will still seem reasonable when it's time to take off.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41I think I'm going to be better once I'm actually on the plane -
0:22:41 > 0:22:45it's just the apprehension, isn't it, of the unknown almost?
0:22:47 > 0:22:49But if she can keep calm and get on board,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52this could be a major breakthrough.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55We're going to go through security check in a minute...
0:22:58 > 0:23:00..to then board the plane.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03I just need to get on to the plane now.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08Cos we've been now talking about it since this morning,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10I just need to go and do it now.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16This is the first time in 19 years that Natalie has boarded an aircraft
0:23:16 > 0:23:19without the support of medication, and it's not easy.
0:23:19 > 0:23:20READER BEEPS
0:23:20 > 0:23:23That's perfect, that's going to be straight on board, OK?
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Thank you very much. Thank you. Right, so here we go.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Alongside around 130 other fearful flyers,
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Natalie finally gets on board.
0:23:35 > 0:23:3961. G - just go straight over, turn right. Thank you.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43As she tries her best to settle in, the safety briefing begins.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46So we're now going to explain the safety equipment procedures
0:23:46 > 0:23:47for this 787-9 aircraft.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50You share responsibility with us for your safety,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53so please remove any headsets and pay careful attention.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57And the pilots do their best to reassure their nervous passengers.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00We worked out we've got 120 years' worth
0:24:00 > 0:24:04of aviation experience between us.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06Before they know it, it's time for takeoff.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14And, once up in the air,
0:24:14 > 0:24:18Natalie amazes herself by managing to leave her seat.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21For the first time, she's beginning to get a real sense of flying
0:24:21 > 0:24:24without her usual nervousness.
0:24:24 > 0:24:25It's true what the trainers said,
0:24:25 > 0:24:27because I'm not very good with heights,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29but actually this isn't causing me a problem,
0:24:29 > 0:24:30looking out the window at the view.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33It is amazing to see all the clouds and things...
0:24:34 > 0:24:36..and then see the view below them.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Other airlines, including British Airways and easyJet,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43also run courses very similar to this one,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46with hundreds of people taking them every month.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52OK, we've just commenced a turn to the left-hand side,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55heading down towards Southampton and the Isle of Wight.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59It's 30 minutes into the flight, and Natalie's confidence is growing.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03Yeah, I'm feeling quite relaxed, actually, I'm not too bad.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07The overall success rate on today's course was around 99%,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11with only one passenger not managing to take the flight,
0:25:11 > 0:25:13and Natalie's astonished at the difference
0:25:13 > 0:25:17between how she feels now, and how she's felt on planes in the past.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19I wouldn't say I love it.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22I did enjoy it, which is a major improvement.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25And, once she comes back down to earth,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28she has high hopes for the future.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31I feel it's really worked. I enjoyed the flight.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33I'd say the landing and takeoff not as much,
0:25:33 > 0:25:37but they weren't as bad as I've experienced before, that's for sure.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50If you have got a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53then get in touch with us via our Facebook page...
0:25:56 > 0:25:57..our website...
0:26:00 > 0:26:03..or e-mail us at...
0:26:05 > 0:26:08..or, if you want to send us a letter, then our new address is...
0:26:21 > 0:26:22Well, you often tell us how frustrating
0:26:22 > 0:26:25you find the different policies of individual airlines,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28and one of your biggest bugbears has long been the charges
0:26:28 > 0:26:31for designated or guaranteed seats.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34But I honestly never thought I'd see the sort of problems
0:26:34 > 0:26:36for families as we've seen today.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Now, this is only my opinion,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42but I find it very hard to justify why you should have to pay extra
0:26:42 > 0:26:45to be sure that you can sit by your own child.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47And I don't think you're on your own with that one, Gloria,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49because I'm sure an awful lot of people will agree with you.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51But, on a more positive note,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54wasn't it absolutely great to see how Natalie ended up
0:26:54 > 0:26:57so much more confident about getting on a plane?
0:26:57 > 0:26:58The world is now her oyster,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02so we all hope that she enjoys every minute of exploring it.
0:27:02 > 0:27:03In the meantime,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06do remember that if you've had an issue with a flight or an airline,
0:27:06 > 0:27:08then do let us know about it.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10We really would like to hear from you.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13I'm sure this is a topic we'll be returning to again,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16but all your e-mails and letters help us identify the issues
0:27:16 > 0:27:20that most matter to you, so do please keep them coming.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23For now, though, this particular takeoff is definitely on time,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26so from the three of us, it's goodbye.
0:27:26 > 0:27:27BOTH: Bye-bye.