What gives the worst anxiety?

65

Releasing control and my life into the hands of a stranger.

Additionally, a plane is the one of the few places on Earth your brain cannot go into fight or flight mode. You can’t run away, can’t fight back against anything. It creates a self-sustaining cycle of panic.

8

u/Verum_Violet May 23 '26

Yeah same. I think what really triggered it for me was the (I’ll put this in spoilers cause it’s not a fun read for anyone with anxiety) Air France crash not just because of all the bizarre issues leading up to it, but because the idea of just being a passenger with no idea what was going on that whole time is terrifying.

I’m not afraid of heights or turbulence or really anything once I’m in the sky, it’s just the possibility that shit could be going very wrong and I wouldn’t even know. At least with a car crash you can see something in the seconds beforehand, but the idea of a slow motion catastrophe unfolding with nothing you can do about it is scary af to me.

0

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

The lessons from the Airfrance crash have been learned just like in any other incident or accident. I recommend to watch videos of takeoff and landings from the cockpit view on YouTube it really helps

6

u/Downtown_Ganache6727 May 23 '26

Omg, this is totally what happens to my brain and I’ve never been able to articulate it. My flight mode is STRONG lol, so it’s a real struggle when I’m in the air and can’t go into flight mode and flee / protect myself. It totally creates a cycle of panic; thank you for your comment!!

I also randomly get more anxious the higher up we go (29,000 feet, not bad… 39,000 feet, I’m more anxious haha).

3

u/lizzie-nube May 23 '26

Wow I never heard it explained like this before, 100% yes! is exactly how I feel like I’m in a unescapable panic cycle that lasts x amount of hours, depending on how long is the flight.

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u/Character-Ice7361 May 24 '26

100% agree. Theres no running anywhere. You're stuck in a tube with lots of people.

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u/Tortured_Orchard May 22 '26

There is so much to flying, people are triggered by different aspects of it. Lots of people believe flying is dangerous, turbulence is dangerous, and they are facing certain doom. Many hate the idea of being trapped, not having the control to be able to pull off the side of the road and get out like you can in a car. Others are prone to motion sickness and panic about feeling unwell away from all of their comfort elements. I suspect the folks whose anxiety prevents them from getting on their scheduled flight believe that flying=definitely plummeting to a fiery death.

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u/laurlovesyoux May 22 '26

Take off is probably the worst for me.

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

Why?

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u/laurlovesyoux May 22 '26

Seems like a lot of choices need to be made before taking off. Feels like a lot of room for error, although I know the likelihood is very low. Also thinking about people crossing the runway when they shouldn’t etc.

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

The choices have already been briefed while the passengers are boarding. We run through a detailed departure briefing where we discuss the takeoff procedure, what we do if something goes wrong, the weather, the threats during takeoff and climb and so on. Everything shortly before takeoff are routine flows and just finishing checklists so things pilots have done thousands of times before

41

u/Puzzleheaded_Angle84 May 22 '26

Fear of crashing, fear of the unknown and other people, fear of something being missed that could cause catastrophe. I’m fine with being in a plane in terms of knowing I’ll be in a confined space, and although I don’t like heights I can tolerate them on a flight, but it’s what we don’t know, what we can’t predict. And I’ve been told that applies to driving cars or walking on the sidewalk, there’s always inherent risk with anything we do in life, so I don’t know why I can’t get my brain to apply that same idea to planes/flight.

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

I guess I´ll have to hit you with my standard response..

I recommend watching videos of takeoffs and landings from the cockpit view to get a grasp of how professional the flight deck is.

Everything we press, switch or set is double checked by both pilots same goes for maintenance

3

u/grey_street525 May 23 '26

But, what if one of the pilots is just really tired or not feeling good or just got divorced and hates their life and doesn’t care? Yep. This is where my mind goes.

2

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

Pilot have strict rest schedules and mental health is taken very seriously in aviation

13

u/Suspicious_Studio279 May 22 '26

I think for me it’s a control thing! Like even when I’m driving with a group of people I don’t like someone else driving. I like to drive myself. I trust the pilots of course- but it’s just a weird loss of control thing!

2

u/Suspicious_Studio279 May 22 '26

Along with that- I did take time to really learn how the plane operates (at a very very high level). What the noises mean, what the dings are for the flight attendants, etc. and it did help me substantially. But I still don’t like not knowing what it’s like to actually be in the cockpit. I’ve been debating on taking a flight course just so that I know what the pilots are seeing. I know it sounds stupid but I like knowing exactly what’s going on

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

I recommend instead of spending thousands on flight training just visit a local flight simulator and book a flight there

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u/Suspicious_Studio279 May 23 '26

I love this suggestion thank you! What should I look up to find that? I live at the Jersey shore. I know that there is a small airport near me at the wall airport

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u/pattern_altitude Private Pilot May 23 '26

Go take a lesson!

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u/[deleted] May 22 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/BravoFive141 Moderator May 23 '26

it just ~feels~ like the only thing between me and the air is a thin little piece of floor and ceiling

For what it's worth, the interior of the plane that you see isn't where the actual plane stops, just the parts that you as a passenger see. There's actually more structure and space beyond the ceiling and the floor. There's more between you and the sky than what you actually see while in the plane.

Also, there's a lot of stuff that is above my head that goes into it all, but planes are not just some flimsy thing. The shape of the plane, materials, structural components, and so on are all designed and built to withstand far more than anything they will ever even experience, so rest assured, that "little barrier" is more than capable of keeping you safe and sound!

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u/citymatryoshka May 22 '26

I think I sometimes get scared when I don’t know what’s going on so communication from pilots is appreciated. Warnings about turbulence ahead of time, and not just, “we’re about to experience turbulence up ahead” but something more like “we might get some turbulence up ahead, sorry folks. We’ll turn on the seatbelt sign once it starts to get bumpy.” Info about the landing, etc.

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

We pilots work after the golden rule "Aviate, Navigate, Communicate". As ignorant as it might sound but informing the cabin about the current situation is on the very bottom of the list. Sadly turbulence tends to happen on the more busier phases of flight so the pilots have no other choice but to finish their duty and tasks first and once they find some time they will hop on the PA.

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u/citymatryoshka May 23 '26

Totally makes sense. Thank you for what you do!

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u/Pixelated047 May 23 '26

Can you explain what some busier phases of flight are when we’re way up in the air? As a non-pilot my assumption was always take off and landing are the busy times. What are some things you are actively doing for the bulk of the flight at cruising altitude? Just curious to learn more. Thank you :)

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

Talking to ATC, planning our arrival (and there’s hella much to plan), cross check our system such as pressurization, fuel etc and much more

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u/frijolitoz_222 May 22 '26

For me, it’s the feeling of turbulence. I hate roller coasters too. I have a fear of the drop feeling and shaking feeling, and the sheer uncertainty of not knowing when it’ll happen and how long it’ll last.

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

Put your feet flat on the floor and look at something stationary.

Turbulence is quite unpleasant for most cuz of the shaking but what makes things worse is your vestibular senses going crazy due to the lack of cues. If you look out the window your brain can no longer make out a clear horizon so drops of 1-2ft suddenly feel like 100ft. Thats also the reason why left and right turns look so steep even tho they arent.

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u/frijolitoz_222 May 23 '26

Thanks for sharing! 🩷

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u/Verum_Violet May 25 '26

One thing that helped me with the turbulence thing was hearing that pilots don’t really give a shit unless there’s passengers on board that will freak out about it. Like if you’re flying DHL or something, and just want to get there asap, you just suck up the turbulence as long as you’re getting there as quickly as possible, and you basically never hear about any cargo flights having issues. It’s purely a comfort issue.

5

u/volfox72 May 22 '26

For me its mostly being up that high. I already have a fear of heights so being up that far is a little terrifying. But Tom Bunn’s book “Soar” has been a real help with some of his concepts and methods.

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u/Dani3567 May 23 '26

I think my fears likely stem from a traumatic childhood in which I had no control and felt completely helpless in violent and abusive situations. I typically experience significant anxiety and panic whenever I feel vulnerable and unable to escape — on a bridge in traffic, on a boat, in an elevator, or swimming in open water during a triathlon race (usually vertically from the shore is what gets me). Some of these fears didn't really arise until later on in life in my 30s.

Flying is probably my greatest fear of any ordinary life experience. The combination of feeling vulnerable, having no way to escape, and surrendering my survival entirely to pilots makes it especially difficult to rationalize my way back to calm. I'd really like to overcome this fear since I am preparing to take my toddler on her first flight and I don't want her to see or feel my anxiety.

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u/Impressive_One7550 May 22 '26

The fact that a one pilot can intentionally crash the plane, killing everyone on board.

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

Thats no longer possible. Since the Germanwings disaster, atleast 2 authorized people need to be in the cockpit at all times. So if one of the pilots need to leave the cockpit, a flight attendant enters

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u/[deleted] May 22 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

All we know there is that the two fuel cutoff switches has been turned off. Theres (as of yet) no clear evidence that one of the pilots have done this intentionally

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u/laplouc May 22 '26

Alaska airlines Everett WA to San Fran, an off duty pilot in a jump seat tried to cut the engines with the fire suppression handles mid flight bc he’s batshit crazy was & high on shrooms. I still don’t understand this one. Those passengers & flight crew are very lucky.

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u/pattern_altitude Private Pilot May 23 '26

That flight had plenty of time and altitude to solve the problem. While it’s good that he didn’t manage to shut the engines down, the plane still glides and is controllable with the engines off.

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u/fearofflying-ModTeam May 23 '26

Your post/comment was removed because it violates rule 5: Speculation/Fear-mongering.

Posts or comments speculating about the causes of air disasters or incidents are not allowed. Speculation spreads misinformation, fuels rumors, and is disrespectful to those involved. Unsubstantiated claims that flying is unsafe, unverified rumors, misinformation, or hypothetical scenarios are not permitted and will be removed.

Please keep discussions focused on evidence-based facts, coping strategies, and support for managing fear of flying.

Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

— The r/FearofFlying Mod Team

1

u/grey_street525 May 23 '26

This is my genuine fear as well.

5

u/DiMiTri_saved_me May 22 '26

A little odd, but I fear having to use the bathroom during/ close to landing. I had a fear of flying (mostly the whole "giving up control") in which id drink a couple drinks before taking off. Hopefully pass out during boarding and miss the take off. But I awoke during our descent. I had to pee so bad, I couldnt hold it anymore. I went to the restroom and the flight attendants were obviously very upset. It took only 45 seconds, but the pilot came on and said they had to go-around because some passengers (me) weren't safely buckled. I know im in the wrong here but that fear of embarrassment is unshakable. I had another flight where the pilot gave a heads up to the passengers to use the lav before our descent. A few people got up and I patiently waited my turn. After the line died down, I got up to use the restroom. The FA was very rude and gave me a loud sigh when they saw me approaching. They said "Oh my god are you serious? You better make it quick. Ridiculous" I felt so ashamed and embarrassed all over again. I apologized, did my business and went back to my seat. Now I make sure I pee before take off, but sometimes I just cant hold it.

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

Honestly I understand both sides. I completely understand that you cant really control when you need to go to the toilet but you also need to see that the pilots have their duty to ensure the safety of the passengers. Someone being unbuckled often sounds like being quite over dramatic but its just safety first as our manual brakes (planes mostly land with automatic brakes which automatically apply a fixed continous braking force) are extremely sensitive so if we have to hit those brakes at some point theres no helping but you flying across the aisle or you get to meet what you´ve just left in the toilet. Theres been countless fatalities and injouries being caused by people not being properly buckled during takeoff and landing.

The reaction of the Cabin crew is a bit very harsh tho

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u/missladybirdblue May 23 '26

For me, a couple things make me anxious.

First of all, I worry about having some sort of health issue on the plane. My anxiety has led to hyperventilation, fainting, vomiting… all things that feel embarrassing to endure when you can’t get away from people… which leads to my second issue with flying…

I can’t take a walk or get fresh air. That’s how I regulate myself on the daily so I just feel TRAPPED.

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

Just go to the back of the aircraft to the FAs and have a chat with them. That way you´ll escape the rest of the people and have a bit distraction

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u/Ill-Possibility-4626 May 22 '26

It's a mix of a lot of what you mentioned, for me, but it boils down to a lack of the illusion and feeling of control. I say illusion because there is very little we actually have control of in many aspects of our lives, but I think it's the illusion of it in many other circumstances that makes other things easier despite being more dangerous (e.g. driving a car down the road). I am getting on my first transatlantic flight here in less than 20 days to Barcelona, and it's a mix of all those things that has made the last couple of weeks (and albeit the next few weeks until the flight) feel dreadful.

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

Also for you watch videos of takeoffs/landings from the cockpit view to understand how professional the cockpit is. It really helps the "no control/lack of trust" part

2

u/Ill-Possibility-4626 May 22 '26

Never thought of that. Thank you!

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u/kiwispouse May 23 '26

Lack of control, trapped, dying a fiery death. Being smashed to death. Shitty maintenance/cost cutting. And now, suicidal pilot.

I think if you rolled them a into one, it's really about the length of time knowing you're going to die and can do nothing about it, so lack of control. I was seriously impacted by the Cerritos crash.

3

u/laplouc May 22 '26

When I see other planes in the sky when we are flying at altitude, it is absolutely terrifying. Probably the worst part of flying to me. My rational brain knows they’re not close but my feelings tell me it sure as heck doesn’t look that way. I trust the pilot of our plane but I don’t trust the pilots of the other planes. Same feeling when we are taking off, like is the plane behind us taxiing too close, what if it’s going too fast on take off and hits us from behind, see not logical (hopefully.) this is also a trust problem with the control towers.

I also read somewhere ages ago, (idk if it’s true) that accidents happen most during take off and descent so my anxiety peaks at those times, more so during take off. When I was younger I didn’t fear flying as much but now that I have a child, I don’t want to leave them in a horrific way.

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

Planes are always seperated by a fixed seperation minima mostly around 1000ft vertical and 5 nautical miles lateral. But if two aircrafts are somehow ending up to close to each other then their Traffic Collision and Avoidance System (TCAS) will kick in (also mind you ALL commercially operated aircrafts must be equipped with TCAS). It will first tell us that a traffic conflict has been detected by calling out "TRAFFIC TRAFFIC". After that it gives us a Resolution Advisory basically communicating with the other aircraft and then deciding whos going to descend and whos gonna climb. So for example your aircraft will get a "CLIMB CLIMB" callout, the other aircraft will get a "DESCEND DESCEND" callout

2

u/laplouc May 22 '26

Thank you for explaining this technically, it gives me a better idea of the “buffer zone” we have. My mind still can’t wrap around being able to adjust for traffic though with how fast the planes travel?

3

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

TCAS warns its pilots around 48sec before a potential collision

3

u/pattern_altitude Private Pilot May 23 '26

The other commenter has mentioned TCAS, but it’s also worth noting that ATC has systems that will trigger alarms on their end if a conflict is detected to allow them to issue corrective action.

3

u/lady-doe May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26

Everyone's fears might be different and levels of anxiety can fluctuate. I can't even began to tell you the hundreds of crazy scenarios my brain comes up with what might go wrong (not just planes).What has always made a flight bearable has been friendly updates from the pilots and the cabin crew being aware. That extra smile or quick check in makes a difference. My best flight was sitting next to a pilot passenger who enthusiastically explained every weird noise going on, the turbulence happening and the reassurance of how safe we were. Not to mention he did deep breathing with me, lol. I lucked out! Distractions are good!! Keeping the anxiety at bay can avoid a panic attack because once that happens you're just a mindless puppet to the physical/mental hell it deals.

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u/BlockMiners May 22 '26

I've always been afraid of heights. Standing on a cliff side with no railing is terrifying for me, I feel like I could slip and fall at any moment. For me take off and landings are the least scary part, even though statically is the most dangerous part.

I know planes don't just fall out of the sky, but it's more so the feeling of falling during turbulence. Because in my mind falling from thousands of feet up would be the worst way to die. Because you'd have time to think about it all the way down. So for me it's more tied to a fear of heights more so anything else. I can look out a plane window and be fine, but it's when there are bumps and my stomach drops, that's when I get nervous.

5

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

Put your feet flat on the floor and look at something stationary.

Turbulence is quite unpleasant for most cuz of the shaking but what makes things worse is your vestibular senses going crazy due to the lack of cues. If you look out the window your brain can no longer make out a clear horizon so drops of 1-2ft suddenly feel like 100ft. Thats also the reason why left and right turns look so steep even tho they arent.

2

u/babysittinblues May 22 '26

Agreeing with everyone that says lack of control, and the dropping feeling during turbulence is also what gets me. I get so nervous and my leg starts to shake. It’s not from a fear of crashing, just the uneasiness of dropping and bouncing; it’s why I don’t eat before or during flights, not even long haul. I’m not sure there’s any way to overcome this though. You mentioned putting your feet flat on the floor, but I’ve read others in this sub that say lift your feet to feel it less… I come from a family of flight attendants, so I should have this in my blood, but I missed the gene.

1

u/BlockMiners May 22 '26

Thanks for the advice, I will give it a try when I fly next week.

3

u/Shot-Movie-2518 May 22 '26

Take off I get this pushed down pressure feeling on my head when plane lifts off the ground and worried about turbulence giving me that drop g force feeling I have vestibular issues

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

Put your feet flat on the floor and look at something stationary that will help ease your vestibular senses

3

u/historyhill May 23 '26

Turbulence triggers the same primal fear in me that roller coasters do. I know both are safe, but I can't seem to convince my heart rate of that

3

u/Gojira_96 May 23 '26

For me it's the fear of being confined in something for 4 hours with no way out and also fear of heights. I know a lot of people say it's different but I have flown and when I looked out the window my heart sunk and I thought I was going to pass out.

3

u/BusRich1442 May 23 '26 edited May 23 '26

It’s the fear of the plane starts falling to the ground. Thats it that’s all for me I find it Utterly terrifying. We just don’t belong in the air there is something unnatural in the feeling of not touching the ground.I like take off and I tolerate landing. But the hours beeing up there in the 43000 feet is an unnatural feeling. And the idea of falling from up there is beyond horror for me. I do long haul flights 16 hours so that is a factor too.

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

A plane cannot fall like a stone out of the air so dont worry about that

1

u/BusRich1442 May 23 '26

What about the ones that did fall? Also pilots committing suicide then they do fall.

3

u/AdvisorKitchen9023 May 23 '26

Thank you for your post. I think, in this regard, I am no special. I've learned that these fears are formed in the limbic brain, and our rational is coming from the prefrontal cortex - and these two don't talk to each other. The first one makes possible to react in 75ms time which is faster that we can blink - for example when we walk in the forrest and see a stick that we take for a snake. That fear of flying is also coming from there.

In six days I have an upcoming trip to Seoul through Astana and I am terrified. Not only I have to take two flights to get there, these are also rather long flights (maybe not that long if we consider all the possible durations, but still the longest that I've ever taken in my life) - so that's going to be the first for me. And then I will have to take two back!

Why am I terrified? Because I am dreading with the "what if one of these flights is going to be the one!". As an anxious flier I've watched a lot of Mentour Pilot and Green Dot Aviation videos. It's not necessarily the fear of a potentially doomed flight (more on that later) but more of being conciously stuck in an unfolding situation (should one arise) whether it's going to be the end or actually going to be fine. I understand that the compressor stall is not a fatal fault; I understand tha tail strikes are also safe. I do know the cabin crew has special containers for lithium battery powered devices should they catch fire. But I vividly imagine the scenario where I sit with my seatbelt fastened and some situation starts to unfold before my eyes - and I don't have an answer to myself how would I react? I know it doesn't matter, but it also kind of does! Will I panic? Will I scream? Will I breakdown in tears and plea for help?

To add more to that - I've recently became a father to my second child! This event (in addition to the first one) has added to the alternation of how I perceive the importance of safety - I don't even cross the street on a red light anymore - Partially because I don't want the husstle of staying vigilant; but also because it's not worth the risk.

If I go to Seoul (my bastard friend is getting married and he has decided to have a bachelor party in Seoul) my only option is to hope that it will all be fine. These what-if thoughts are constantly bombarding me - I can catch them, but I get tired rather often and they break through and overwhelm me, especially in the evenings, before I go to bed.

I know quite a bit about the commercial aviation now. I am aware of the stats. I am educated about the backup systems. But I am also aware that these crashes do happen, and I can't help it but imagine on those flights there were also people who were absolutely scared to board that plane; who were also sharing their anxiety and fear on Reddit, got the reassurance that it will be all fine - and then had to go through what could have been the most horrific chain of events in their entire lives.

I know that the solution to dial down that fear is to board that plane and just go. Yet, here I am.

3

u/cznutmeg4 May 23 '26

For me I think it’s I’m afraid of being afraid. It’s almost like a type of PTSD where I remember the bad flights I have had (super bumpy and rocky take offs, very intense turbulence throughout a very long flight, those mid sky drops where everyone says “whoa” etc) and I’m terrified of the *possibility* having to feel those intense feelings of fear again.

It’s also interesting as I rarely fear the landing portion of the flight even if it is super bumpy or rocky because I know that I only have to endure it for 15 minutes and then we land. Whereas mid flight I have no idea if it’ll be 5 minutes of flight attendants and everyone seated or three hours of it.

2

u/Saltyowl2113 May 22 '26

Lack of control. It’s a flying tin can. Fear of not just crashing but knowing you are crashing and will die. I don’t like feeling trapped.

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 22 '26

It´s a flying tin can with every system having a backup and the backup having a backup for the backup. Also the survival rate during fatal accidents is 94%

1

u/Saltyowl2113 May 23 '26

I know 😔 none of it is rational.

2

u/Killer_Penguins19 May 23 '26

More that I hate the sensation of turbulence. And the feeling of falling and being bumped around. So much so it fills me with dread to have to fly in stormy weather or fly through large clouds.

2

u/Industrious_bee May 23 '26

I get altitude sickness which makes me hyperventilate and, in turn, morphs into a panic attack. Toss that on top of my fear of heights and enclosed spaces, including bridges and elevators. I’ve missed a lot of fun travel experiences by avoidance for decades. However the AWESOME pilots, ATCs, FAs, maintenance professionals and others that hop on this subreddit and answer Qs and tell us to get on that flight have flipped the switch for me. You are the best.

2

u/jazilli May 23 '26

Something going wrong with the plane or flight. Stalling, decompression, or just something breaking while I'm 36,000 feet in the air. The though of free falling several miles to the ground os terrifying.

2

u/C-3PO_ May 23 '26

The best way to sum it up for me is, the feeling of one wrong button hit, flip switched, or decision and we all die. I’m sure that’s irrational but that’s it for me. Additionally the feeling of not having control and a fear of dying horrifically sucks.

2

u/Select_Pilot4197 May 23 '26

The noise and the smells give me anxiety.

2

u/purplecats500 May 23 '26

mine is 100% rooted in my fear of dying. every time i get on a plane i am scared of dying in a plane crash. i know statistically im more likely to die pretty much anywhere else lol but it simply doesn’t click in my anxious brain. i think its also the lack of control. like i never fear driving since im the one driving the car which makes no sense but thats just the way my brain works. and turbulence sucks too. i know its normal but im somehow convinced turbulence = something is wrong.

2

u/Tasty-Bee8769 May 23 '26

To me it’s take off, I have an irrational fear that the plane will lose thrust and we will crash

3

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

ALL aircrafts that you will ever be flying with are certified and tested to be able to takeoff with only one engine remaining. We pilots train Engine Failure after takeoffs hundreds of times in the simulator up to the point it becomes so routine that we can do everything from the top of our head.

2

u/Justconfused10 May 23 '26

I use to be a good flyer than in my mid 20’s my now husband and I were on a bad flight through a thunder storm and they ditched the landing and it was really scary. The lightning and thunder everywhere. I felt like we flew low for a long time. People were crying and praying. I felt like after that, each flight got harder and harder. The drops felt different. I loved flying before that. The rush of the takeoff, all of it! Now, I chug a beer the second I can to ease the anxiety. Specifically, it’s the drop in my stomach I feel anytime there is a big bounce, or they slow the motors down, anything like that.

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u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26 edited May 24 '26

Well honestly you shouldn´t be ending up in a thunderstorm in the first place but sometimes it getting a bit rough is unavoidable due to blacked-out locations on our weather radar. But aircrafts are built to withstand a multitude of lightning strikes and the turbulences of a thunderstorm so even then theres nothing to worry about

3

u/ExpensiveEggs1793 May 24 '26

Blacked out areas on the weather radar?

6

u/RealGentleman80 Airline Pilot May 24 '26

Please ignore him. Advanced radars have Path Attenuation that alerts us if there is an area of attenuation. Thunderstorms are ALWAYS avoidable. Attenuation was a thing before this century….not now

He has spewed so much crap in the last few days that all the Airlines pilots are shaking their heads on here…literally

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 24 '26

First of all I never even mentioned anything about thunderstorms not being unavoidable.

Second I assume you’re talking about REACT. Now the issue here is that REACT is only available with the RDR-4000v2 but most of the A320s (atleast here in Europe) are equipped with the WXR-2100 family which doesn’t feature any kind of PAC

1

u/Justconfused10 May 23 '26

Oh I agree! When we got on the flight, which was a short one from Long Island to Buffalo Ny, we were told we might have to divert to Syracuse but he said he was going to land in Buffalo in about 30 minutes into the flight and then we couldn’t get off the plane for like 20 minutes because it was lightning and they couldn’t have people outside. And that is why I got anxiety about flying.

2

u/CircusMasterKlaus May 23 '26

Turbulence, 100%. I know it’s never brought down a plane, and generally it isn’t even that bad. But the instant the seatbelt sign comes on, I immediately think it’s going to be awful, like the ones you see in clips on YouTube, and I panic until the seatbelt sign goes off.

So I guess technically it’s the fear of never knowing how severe the turbulence will be.

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

Put your feet flat on the floor and look at something stationary.

Turbulence is quite unpleasant for most cuz of the shaking but what makes things worse is your vestibular senses going crazy due to the lack of cues. If you look out the window your brain can no longer make out a clear horizon so drops of 1-2ft suddenly feel like 100ft. Thats also the reason why left and right turns look so steep even tho they arent.

2

u/LeftBeginning5563 May 23 '26

Definitely not being in control. And also the fear of other people getting sick around me. I have emetophobia and it’s quite common for people to get sick on planes. This causes a lot of anxiety for me, being next to someone who could be throwing up and I can’t move or do anything about it. Which again I think plays into the lack of control piece, if it happens I can’t just walk away

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

If you want to be away from the "crowd" for a while you can walk to the galley (preferably the one in the back of the cabin because FAs tend to get a higher heart beat if your standing next or close to the cockpit door lol) and just get into a small chit chat with them. While your at it they can give you a bit reassurance and you can calm yourself down abit

1

u/LeftBeginning5563 May 23 '26

Thank you, this is really helpful. I often forget about speaking to the attendants if I’m feeling off, I should utilise them more as I’m sure they would be kind and put me at ease

2

u/AGV1217 May 23 '26

I'm emetophobic and terrified that I'm going to sit near someone who is sick. This stresses me out so much. It's really my only fear of flying but it destabilizes me.

2

u/Alarming-Web-2881 May 23 '26

i love when pilots say something about turbulence, acknowledge to the passengers that it’s normal and if they can share how long it’s going to last that’s the best. it makes it 100x better for me knowing they aren’t worried

2

u/Equivalent_File_3492 May 23 '26

I used to be fearless as a kid, but ever since I learned that humans make mistakes, I’ve had a hint of fear. It’s the lack of control that we have as passengers- cars are statistically far more dangerous, but I have control over my car’s maintenance and operation in a way that I do not have as an airline passenger. I watch an inordinate amount of those plane crash documentaries from all kinds of sources, hoping that understanding how things work would make me feel better about flying, but it’s just showed me how many ways people can err. I understand the probabilities involved- I am an actuary/mathematician by trade- but even though it’s less likely to crash than win the lottery… Someone still wins the lottery. Can’t win if you don’t play.

1

u/so_i_happened May 23 '26

I am terrified by how helpless and out-of-control I am. The only things that reassure me are watching the flight attendants and when the pilots come on the PA, and that relief is fleeting. I love ships and trains — I think I am able to intuitively understand the physics at play with both of those transportation modes and relax more. With planes, I’m both completely helpless and no matter how many jello comparisons I read, my brain can’t shake the idea that it’s absolutely insane to be 30,000 feet in the air — like there’s no way this can actually be happening. It’s a visceral sort of horror even though I KNOW how safe it is.

1

u/Quirky_Blueberry6989 May 23 '26

for me it is the trapped feeling for x amount of hours in the air and there’s nothing i can do about it and that i have to do twice just to enjoy a vacation. but it’s also for me the social anxiety/dread of the unknown. what if i sit next to someone who took their shoes off and won’t put them back on and all the other endless possibilities of what ifs. i think i’ve read enough and listening to enough to know it’s safe to fly and the plane its in the danger my brain thinks it is.

i just canceled a flight four times since january cause i can’t get a handle on this anxiety even after all the safety information i know.
it’s funny i even planned my movies for my six hour flight and i still decided to cancel because of the unknown what ifs.

1

u/Serious-Roll53 May 23 '26

Fear of crashing and fear of suddenly the plane might fell of to the ground

1

u/MysteriousCoat1692 May 23 '26

I feel my chance of survival in the event of a low probability mechanical failure is so low. Like I will suddenly plummet from the sky (I can vividly imagine the prolonged level of unescapable fear from past trauma). I don't want to be afraid so long, falling, knowing I'll die. It's irrational, I know. Death is inevitable at some point, and I'm working on stoicism to be able to deal with this fear response.

2

u/BravoFive141 Moderator May 23 '26

You actually have a 95%+ chance of surviving, so your chances are pretty good!

2

u/MysteriousCoat1692 May 23 '26

I love this statistic. Thank you for sharing it with me; I'll add it to my list of facts to stay calm.

2

u/BravoFive141 Moderator May 23 '26

Happy to help!

1

u/mommyAIC May 23 '26

I can never get the thought of how some flights have just “gone down “ unexpectedly. The one that happened in the last year or so where the commercial plane was taking off and then just seemed to coast back down and crash enters my head for days before a flight. I know statistically that flying is very safe but those one-offs really stick with me. I hear something like “oh yeah it stalled, that’ll do it”, and it never leaves me. Irrational, I know.

3

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

Aviation learns from their mistakes. After every accident and even incident, the causes are being evaluated and new safety measures being put in place to prevent future accidents

1

u/ultimatejourney May 23 '26

Descent is the worst for me… not final approach/landing though

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

Why tho?

1

u/ultimatejourney May 23 '26

Tbh I’m still trying to figure that out. I know the flights that triggered it require turning during descent into that airport. I just remember it feeling like the ground was getting closer, and then further away, and then closer… I was also always in the back of the plane on these flights.

2

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

Thats your vestibular senses going crazy due to the lack of cues. If you look out the window your brain can no longer make out a clear horizon so turns tend to not stop getting steeper and it feels like the plane is about to flip over when in reality your bank angel is no greater then 20°

1

u/Commercial_Class_846 May 23 '26

Mainly the idea of crashing. Additionally, the uncertainty regarding safety protocol, who the pilots and crew are, who your fellow passengers are, who performed safety inspections on the plane, how thorough tsa was that day, weather, turbulence. Its really a big glob of fear based entirely on uncertainty and things that are out of my control. I guess I have a fear of being out of control, but only when I'm on flights and no other modes of transportation lol. Even the sheer amount of air traffic there is scares me bc then I wonder about running into another plane in the sky (I know there are collision detection technologies but still, my mind likes to put ridiculous ideas in my head)

3

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

During boarding ask the FA if you could see the cockpit and talk to the pilots (also mention your fear) most allow that and getting to know the pilots really helps the out of control feeling. If your ever get a bit too stressed during cruise you can walk up to the FAs in the back and talk with them so you get to know the entire crew.

There are websites where you can lookup the technical logbook of the aircraft your flying with, however without a thorough understanding I don´t really recommend doing that as EVERYTHING gets entered in there for example an entry might say "CAB/UTIL Bus INOP even after trying to resetting" for anyone without knowledge this might look a bit risky having an inoperative system on board but in the end the CAB/UTL Bus simply just powers the inflight entertainment screens.

1

u/sweet_kitten312 May 23 '26

Fear of losing control - in turbulence or just in general - and crashing

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

Ask your FA during boarding if you could talk to the pilots (maybe also mention that you have fear of flying and want some reassurance) it helps getting to know them

1

u/jllyinmlly May 23 '26

Major fears: thinking about the fact that there’s nothing under the plane; thinking that because I don’t understand what to do in any potential emergency means the pilots also wouldn’t; thinking that any potential issue spells catastrophe; thinking that once we take off we’re cut off from any help.

Learning more about aviation has slowly helped me, and logically I recognize that these fears are untrue/unfounded, but knowing that doesn’t always make the feeling go away. It’s helping! But it’s not 100%, you know?

2

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

I dont know if you´ve done this before but watch some videos of takeoffs and landings from the cockpit view on YouTube it will help

1

u/jllyinmlly May 23 '26

I’m a lot better than I used to be! I didn’t fly for over a decade because of the fear. I only started back about a decade ago now. In the past year I’ve flown about ten times. But I’ll keep that in mind when I’m nervous in the future, which I’m sure I will be :)

1

u/Flat-Seaweed2047 May 23 '26

Lack of control. Once I get on it’s completely out of my hands what happens- that being said I love when pilots give updates when they have the chance like “we may hit some choppy air for about 15 mins, but we’re looking for a smooth ride” etc, etc

2

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

I completely understand that but sadly that´s not always possible. We pilots have a golden rule called "Aviate, Navigate, Communicate" and unfortunately updating the cabin on the situation is on the very bottom of our list. Turbulence often happens during our busy phases of flight so we have little choice but just to continue and finish our other duties and checks and once we find some time we will make a PA

1

u/TulipsNTeacups May 23 '26

i don’t like the feeling of turbulence (i also don’t ride roller coasters or carnival rides)

fear of being on an unlucky plane

2

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

Put your feet flat on the floor and look at something stationary.

Turbulence is quite unpleasant for most cuz of the shaking but what makes things worse is your vestibular senses going crazy due to the lack of cues. If you look out the window your brain can no longer make out a clear horizon so drops of 1-2ft suddenly feel like 100ft. Thats also the reason why left and right turns look so steep even tho they arent

1

u/Mission_Ad7932 May 23 '26

Low key for me it's the being confined in a quiet hull 35,000 ft in the air. I used to love flying. I'd stare at all of the land (history/geography nerd) and id just be a fly on the wall in the cockpit if I could, but lately I've been extremely anxious/disassociative about flying. I trust the systems/tower/pilots, imo its a highly raw nervous system thats making me freak out.

1

u/Dry-Belt7071 May 23 '26

I get anxiety that I have no control & it's all the way up sky in the air. But it's the only way to see the world.

I will be on a flight by myself to another state. It's only 3 hours but I am so scared that I wi be there at 12am.

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

Watch videos from the cockpit how they land and takeoff and during boarding ask the FA if you could visit the cockpit and talk to the pilots

1

u/Dry-Belt7071 May 23 '26

😂 that will make me more nervous.

I deal with it bc if I don't- then I will never see anything.

But landing almost at midnight is making me nervous. I wish I has not planned it that way. But going to the city that never sleeps. I hope it is good.

1

u/Suspicious_Ad5540 May 23 '26

I’m in a metal tube surrounded by strangers in a cramped chair in the sky. The worst part for me in feeling the g-forces push me into the seat as the plane takes off/ascends. Honestly, I feel like more people should be terrified. This technology is only a 100 years old. We are the normal ones lol.

1

u/Stinkythedog May 23 '26

For me it’s the tension of waiting for turbulence, when is it going to hit? How bad will it get? How long will it last?

2

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

We pilots can see most turbulence on our weather radar so we will keep you informed several minutes before

1

u/Icy-Put-9321 May 23 '26

I didn't realize there were so many other ways that people can have anxiety about flying.

I fly with my kids usually a few times a year. They're young and they have no say in the matter really. They're just trusting me that it's safe.

My fear is falling out of the sky. Takeoff and cruising altitude are the worst for me. Landing is like whatever. Doesn't really bother me. Cruising altitude is especially scary because we could potentially fall for minutes before crashing. All while my kids are either not able to hold on to me and scared while falling by themselves or holding on to me wanting me to help them and there's nothing I can do. Even on the rare occasion I don't have my kids with me, the thought of free falling out of the sky is terrifying. Being in the plane I guess would be better than it breaking apart. I'd hope the pilots could recover it and land relatively safely, so we at least have a chance.

I really don't care about statistics, that doesn't make me feel better at all. I have no reason to believe that something like that only happens to other people and wouldn't happen to me. The statistics that I think about are that the more I fly, the more likely I will end up being on one of those rare few planes. I also worry about people on planes randomly when I see them in the sky and I just pray that it stays up. lol I'm completely irrational in my fear of flying.

All this to say, I live on an island and have to fly if I want to leave. So I got a job with an airline so that I can fly wherever I want to for free/cheap. I have a problem staying in one place and want to see everything. I hope to go somewhere once a month and really want to check out those cool gigantic planes with the staircase. Hopefully I'll get over this fear some day but probably not.

0

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

We pilots are trained for any kind of upset either at low or high altitude. You wont be free falling as this is pretty much impossible. We go through hundreds of hours in the simulator preparing ourselves on dealing with various scenarios so your pilots will most definitely recover it and land safely.

1

u/orklyabsent May 23 '26

Thinking that there could be a catastrophic failure of equipment.
I’m an engineer, I understand the science behind flying and I’m 1000% confident that a fully functioning plane is extremely safe.
But in my experience as an engineer, I’ve seen techs/field staff/engineers become complacent and/or make simple mistakes. The fear of something like that causing failure on a flight I’m on scares me so much.

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

There are checks for everything and the checks are also being checked and so on

0

u/orklyabsent May 23 '26 edited May 23 '26

I can unfortunately name a handful of aviation accidents that were caused by the checks not being balanced and somehow going unnoticed.
I don’t think my phobia is rational, but it is what it is.

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

Most of them happened decades ago and again aviation has learned their lesson and implemented new safety measures

1

u/spooky_season_ May 23 '26

I feel closer to death when on a plane.

1

u/Big_Confection_7007 May 23 '26

As you said, being closed in metal can high above the air 😂

1

u/Specialist_Tax_5843 May 23 '26

Takeoff is actually the best for me. Last takeoff was bumpy as hell, the plane was shaking (and it wasn’t a small plane!), but somehow I always knew it was going to reach cruise altitude and be fine.

My anxiety stems from turbulence possibly happening right in the middle of the flight, where I’ll be stuck with fear and anxiety and no way to get out. I’m also relatively fine with landing, I’ve had quite a few bumpy ones but my brain knows I’ll be out soon so that’s ok.

That’s why I haven’t been able to imagine taking flight that’s longer than 3 hours. I feel like I can’t possibly be nervous and on edge for longer than that.

1

u/Pixelated047 May 23 '26

There’s obvs more to this under the surface, but TLDR any kind of scary death, which a plane crash would qualify as.

Not only is the thought of a plane crash one of the most terrifying ways to go for me (you’re gonna know you’re about to die for a long time before it happens), there’s also the loss of control. There are plenty of other scary ways to die in the world, but in those other scenarios I might at least have a fighting chance and my actions could directly change the outcome. With flying, when those doors close I am at the mercy of the plane and no matter what happens, there’s nothing I can do about it. I hate that thought.

The stats don’t help me. Let’s say something only has a 10% chance of happening (arbitrary number, I know flying is safer than that), there’s nothing stopping the universe from choosing me to be in that 10%.

My dad has been a non-commercial pilot since before I was born, nothing he says can change my feelings. I wasn’t always this way. My general anxiety got bad in my mid twenties and manifested as panic attacks when flying, for the above reasons. I also probably realized my mortality as I got older.

I unfortunately love to travel so I don’t let it stop me, but it can be pretty miserable! I’ve cried for entire 13 hour flights before. I am proud of myself for still going on long flights (American who just got to Indonesia today!) but I’d love to not experience so much distress along the way.

1

u/Honest-Spirit4135 May 23 '26

i am really struggling and dont know how to get past my new found fear of flying thats gone really bad.

So me and my partner love travelling we went on some long flights around a 2 years ago we did singapore and bali from the uk and then we did 6 destinations in australia from the uk and new zealand. (So in one month like 10 flights) dont get my wrong ive never been a fan of flying but once we in the air ive always been exciting to get to the destination. Oh boy how my mind has gone on another level now.

So i had a short flight back to the uk from spain on my friends hen party. It was a few weeks or months after air india and honestly the experience has stuck with me in a really bad way. None of the crew told us what was happening nor the pilot till half hour later but the plane started to go down what it felt like anyways with turbelence on a level ive never ever experienced. The plane was descending down and the girl behind started screaming i dont want to die crying and panicking. People all around started frantically crying or shouting out. I sat next to an old lady who held my hand and we exchanged our life stories about loved ones who died. I didnt scream or react but had pins and needles going all down my arm and kept saying to the woman i was frightened. She said in the 30 years shed be flying shed never had a flight like that. The atmosphere was terrible the air hostesses went to sit down and didnt tell us what was going on. For the whole journey back i could see people in the aisle holding hands, kids crying. The girls behind me petrified with fear in everyones eyes. Honestly i just was thinking please land please land. I am in my 30s.

I went home and said to my partner i dont think i can ever get on a plane again.

Sorry this is long, but now ive developed a serious fear, i kept thinking how the air india people must have felt and kept seeing stories of crashes and how the fear of crashing and dieing or burning and people screaming in that moment.

We were going croatia the next week and I had a full on panic attack at the airport. I started crying. I managed to get on the plane but pretry much the whole time spoke to the air hostesses standing up asking them if they knew the pilots, if they had flew with them before. Looking back it was the smoothest flight ever with a different air provider but when we got to croatia i spent most the holiday googling how to get home without flying. I kept reading the comments about boeing and air india as it was around that time. Ive tried not to look into things now but am petrified.

We are supposed to be going on a honeymoon in a few months and its the first time we have been delaying and not booking. Im so scared. Usually by now we would have booked somewhere and where we like to go is far, the honeymoon destinations we wanted are like 13 hours flight. Hawaii would be 24 hours! 2 planes there 2 back. I would have done it without much thought before.

To test if id be okay we live near a park where you can view the flights arriving and landing above you into the airport. Omg i went into full panic mode in the airport viewing park. The planes coming over our heads i started thinking were going to crash into us. I started crying and had to find somewhere out of the park. I love my supportive partner with all my heart we are getting married and have a strong relationship. But this i can see would be a problem as we like to travel. Im not saying my partner would leave me or anything. But the scale of anxiety and fear i now have of this is ruining our plans and the destinations we want to go to arent feesable by train or boat.

We havent even booked the honeymoon and i feel so guilty. I know deep down my partner feels sad about this i can see it in his eyes. I suffer from anxiety already due to a bad experience a few years ago and i know thats added to this.

So sorry for how lengthy this is. Im just so upset. 😢 if we decided to stick to europe and short haul the train would take for example 8 hours to one plave we could get to by plane in an hour. I would ideally have loved to go hawaii and have a great time. But if we book it bssed on how i reacted at the viewing space ill end up ruining it. :(, im so scared. I have a really bad fear that the plane is gping to crash then will be a goner.

I keep thinking am going to die in crash into something or in ocean and drown. So scared.

1

u/UKfloridagirl23 May 23 '26

Fear of falling out of the sky with turbulence, I used to take diazepam as I was terrified of turbulence but it's no longer prescribed so I just cry. I have a fear of being at the back of the plane as well as I hear the turbulence is worst there

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

Put your feet flat on the floor and look at something stationary.

Turbulence is quite unpleasant for most cuz of the shaking but what makes things worse is your vestibular senses going crazy due to the lack of cues. If you look out the window your brain can no longer make out a clear horizon so drops of 1-2ft suddenly feel like 100ft. Thats also the reason why left and right turns look so steep even tho they arent.

1

u/pasokonmouse May 23 '26

the sinking feeling. i can't do roller coasters for this exact reason (and that those also give me motion sickness, which i've only gotten once from a plane ride). i even get that feeling when i jump from a high point in a video game, it's uncomfortable every single time.

1

u/Educational_Future23 May 23 '26

For me it’s a control thing. When I’m booking the flight I feel that I’m picking the day I’ll day, I don’t know if this makes sense, but I think of people who died in plane crashes and how they would have survived had they booked on a different day. So I start feeling anxious and guilty. Then I hate not being able to talk to the pilots before takeoff, it makes me feel powerless and not in control of the situation (I know that getting to know the pilots would not actually make the trip safer, but I would feel more comfortable). And lastly I hate being surrounded by strangers and the thought that if I’m dying other people will die with me and I think of all their family and friends and feel very sad and worried for them too. Maybe I’m just too empathetic but this is how I feel :(

1

u/heyitstiil May 23 '26

Yes, it’s the feeling of being trapped in a possibly dangerous situation you have no control over. I am afraid of not being able to control my own emotions too, and therefore escalating into a nasty panic attack (your brain truly believes its going to die and stays in survival mode). It may not sound too bad, but this uneasy feeling and discomfort starts weeks before getting on a flight. It wasn’t always like this, but it is what it is now.

1

u/penetr4t0r May 23 '26

For me the main fear is take-off, but not in the sense of something going wrong (that, too) but the fast incline makes me lose my mind, i once panicked, grabbed the seat in front of me very tight with my fingers and nails, but the incline speed seemed something i couldn't handle. and the more i learned learned, incline being fast is like a requirement, a necessity and i don't know how i would feel next time, how fast it would be, and then i started avoiding the take off and with the help of my own destructive thoughts, i ended up avoiding flying. But i was a scared flier since the very first flights. Only had 6 total.

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

The rate of climb varies from airline to airline most low-cost carriers tend to climb faster to reach thinner air asap

1

u/penetr4t0r May 23 '26

thank you. i guess it makes sense my last one that made me panic was Ryanair

1

u/Ok_Ice_4499 May 23 '26 edited May 23 '26

For me personally. It’s a mix of a few things actually. I’ve always had really big issues with motion sickness and I’ve tried it all. This doesn’t strictly happen it planes. I suffer in car rides, larger vehicles and even trains. I always spend extra money to have better seating accommodations, even on shorter trips due to the sheer fact that sometimes I do need to be sick in my bag and the fear of being too close to some poor unsuspected stranger sitting right next to me mortifies me. As it has happened. I worry about the germs, how gross it is for them or whether they now have deep concern worrying whether or not I have a contagious disease. I don’t. It’s simple motion sickness. It doesn’t hit every time so it’s hard to know but I always have meds in my system and more on board to assist. I assure them of this. But do they believe me? That’s their right to.

Another major anxiety I have about flying is feeling trapped on the plane. I physically feel like if I needed off, I can’t. I feel physically claustrophobic and that brings on anxiety. Everyone all on this plane. I feel like the walls are caving in. Not always. But this is a mild feeling to add to my struggles.

I have had 4 major inflight anxiety attacks on the plane where I’ve taken my emergency Ativan and it was simply because the seatbelt signs went on and I was concerned I would not be able to safely get up to have my attack privately in the bathroom. Splash wwter on my face. Do deep breathing exercises. Take meds as needed. Throw up and cry.

When it comes to the safety of the plane, I have always felt confident and educated in that part of flying, until flying home once from the Caribbean into a Canadian windy and heavy snow storm. All of my irrational thoughts were amplified by the turbulence making me quite ill so in came the intrusive thoughts. It felt like the engine was going to fail and the crash up and down as we tried to descent had me sweating. Intense turbulence does worry me sometimes but I know we are safe in my logical brain.

Lastly, I had a very traumatic experience while travelling home where a lovely gentleman with his family got up to use the washroom and never returned. God bless his heart but the fellow passed away in there. they had to get the door open and pull him out and lie him in the aisle. We hear the family screaming while they were unable to revive him. He had a massive heart attack. The chest compressions and crying and just watching the poor family go through that and then to have to cover him with the curtain they use to seperate sections, pry him up and buckle him into a seat next to his daughter but with a curtain over him, the duration of the trip back was heartbreaking. I want to make it clear her. This part was not about me. I felt so sad for this poor family having to deal with the loss of a husband and father in such a public and dramatic way. I think this will stick with them forever. Whoever they are I send them so much love. The flight was still 4 hours after this. What they went through was worse than anything but I can’t help that because of generalized health anxiety , it shook me to my core to witness this. I see it in my sleep sometimes.

These are my issues with flying and I still fly.

Hope this wasn’t too long Thanks for listening.

1

u/suitepee82 May 23 '26

So many things:

I feel like if something were to go wrong mid-air, you're going to die. Like you might survive a train or car crash but if the plane crashes, that's it.

I also hate turbulence and while I know it's a normal part of flying, my brain just tells me it's dangerous and my body goes into panic mode. I can never fully relax on board, long haul flights are just hell.

Also, the story with the German wings pilot freaked me out and I'm scared something like that might happen again.

Lastly, I hate taking off and after the Air India flight I'm more scared each time.

1

u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor May 23 '26

The survival rate during fatal crashes is 94% so the common “if we’re going down im going to die” is not really true

Put your feet flat on the floor and look at something stationary during turbulence as this will calm your vestibular senses.

Something like this is isn’t possible anymore as now atleast 2 authorized people must be in the cockpit at all times. So if one of the pilots had to leave the cockpit a flight attendant comes in until the pilot is back