Lovefly Ep. 273 - The Lovefly Story and how to overcome fear of flying the Lovefly Way Part 1
Mar 25, 2026
A founder traces the origins of a program to help nervous flyers and early connections that sparked the idea. Stories include cabin crew training, pitching relaxation channels to airlines, and the first mock-up flying without fear course. The narrative covers scaling the approach across the UK, emotional breakthroughs, and how methods evolved into modern courses and resources.
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How The Idea For Flying Support Began
- Paul Tizzard started exploring fear-of-flying support around 1996 while working in cabin crew training for Virgin Atlantic.
- He approached Richard Branson with the idea for onboard relaxation and courses, and Branson immediately connected him to senior staff to develop it.
Brand Fit Made A Different Course Approach Work
- Paul noticed existing fear-of-flying courses were pilot-led and wanted a softer, customer-friendly approach aligned with the Virgin brand.
- That internal perspective and brand fit helped convince leadership to back an in-house program rather than outsource.
First Course In A Mock Aircraft Rig
- The first official course ran on 1 November 1997 in a Gatwick training room fitted with aircraft seats and had eight attendees sourced via special assistance bookings.
- Even in a mock-up classroom a grown man broke down, showing how powerful flight fear can be and prompting deeper learning.