Q: I have to fly to London this summer to attend a wedding. I’ve never been on a plane before and am terrified. Should I tell the person sitting next to me I’m nervous? What else can I do? I’m afraid the other passengers will hate me if I get jittery. A: Definitely introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you and say you’re a first-time flyer. If the person knows that, he or she will cut you some slack. It wouldn’t hurt to mention it to the flight attendants, too.

Would it be possible to take a short plane ride before that trans-Atlantic flight, though? I’d keep an eye on airfares and try to do a weekend trip somewhere closer to home. It’ll let you test the waters in the shallow end, so to speak. Maybe you could even convince a friend to go with you (preferably someone who flies regularly and will be able to say things like, “That noise is just the landing gear”).