A fear of flying is one of the most common phobias, even among regular road warriors. Here’s how to ease the anxiety when you fly.
On a rainy morning in Hong Kong, I join a group of would-be travellers who shuffle into a hotel ballroom, coffee cups in hand and take their seats. They’re here to calm their fear of flying as part of British Airways’ free Flying With Confidence course, led by one of the airline’s most experienced pilots, Captain Steven Allright. The captain tries to keep the vibe cheerful and light-hearted as he describes his flight down from London the night before, at the controls of an A380, but as soon as he starts discussing turbulence, air safety and the many whirring, clunking noises that air travellers often hear on a plane, the silence in the room becomes defining and the smell of fear acutely noticeable.
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For the corporate traveller, air travel is as routine as a Monday morning coffee run—until it isn’t. The hum of the engines, the jolt of takeoff, or even the thought of being 30,000 feet up can turn a seasoned road warrior into a bundle of nerves. Fear of flying, or aviophobia, isn’t just a quirky footnote in the travel handbook; it’s a real hurdle that affects millions, including those who clock frequent flyer miles for a living. So, how common is it, what’s behind it, and—most importantly—how can you tame it before and during your next flight?
“Fear of flying is not about airplanes or safety; it’s about how the brain reacts to certain triggers,” says Kateryna Shamanovska, a psychologist specialising in fear of flying treatment. “It’s completely normal to feel this way—fear was essential for human survival during evolution. But in our modern high-tech world, the brain can sometimes misinterpret signals, confusing our emotional system.”
How Common Is the Fear?
If you’ve ever white-knuckled your way through turbulence, you’re not alone (in fact, you’re in good company; Jennifer Aniston, Sandra Bullock, Ben Affleck, and Travis Barker are all said to have a fear of flying). Studies peg the prevalence of flight-related anxiety at a staggering 40% of travellers, according to the Journal of Travel Medicine. For some, it’s mild unease; for others, it’s a full-blown phobia that keeps them grounded.
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The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 6.5% of people—roughly one in 15—experience aviophobia severe enough to disrupt their lives, including their careers. In the corporate world, where jetting off to Tokyo or New York is par for the course, that’s a significant chunk of the workforce quietly sweating through their pre-boarding rituals.
“Panic attacks are the secret shame of high-performing executives; some have no idea this is what they are going through and call it fear of flying instead,” says Singapore-based psychologist and executive coach Dr Perpetua Neo. “Unlike standard anxiety, they feel like a complete neural hijacking—an alien possession where your body becomes a battlefield. Neurologically, panic attacks represent a complex survival response. Your brain’s threat detection system activates with surgical precision, flooding your system with cortisol and adrenaline. The closed aeroplane environment triggers a primal ‘trapped’ response, where your prefrontal cortex temporarily loses executive function.”
She says returning to travelling after the Covid hiatus saw professionals who’d had previously soldiered through it now being unable to manage it anymore. Many went for nervous flyer programmes but didn’t fear turbulence. “Instead [they were] having other panic-related root causes – gasping for fresh air as they felt trapped; fearing people would laugh at them; believing they were having a heart attack or going to die – making them feel helpless, as though no one can help them.”
What’s Fueling the Fear?
Aviophobia isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s a cocktail of triggers, shaken not stirred. Here’s what’s typically pouring into the mix:
Loss of Control: Handing your fate to a pilot you’ve never met? For control freaks (and let’s be honest, many execs fit the bill), that’s a recipe for panic. The inability to “fix” a situation mid-flight amplifies the dread.
Turbulence and Takeoff: The physical jolts of flying—those stomach-dropping dips or the roar of ascent—can trick your brain into thinking danger is afoot, even when it’s just physics doing its thing.
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Claustrophobia: Tiny seats, packed cabins, and sealed windows can make even an A380 feel like a sardine can. For the spatially sensitive, it’s less “window seat” and more “trapped.”
Media Overload: Plane crash documentaries and 24/7 news cycles don’t help. Rare as they are (your odds of dying in a plane crash are 1 in 11 million, per the Aviation Safety Network), disasters loom large in the imagination, and a number of high-profile crashes of late only help to bolster those looming nerves.
Past Trauma: A bad flight—or even a near-miss story from a colleague—can plant a seed of fear that grows with every boarding pass.
Add in the corporate twist—tight schedules, high stakes, and jet lag—and it’s no wonder even the steeliest execs can feel their palms sweat at the gate.
“The best thing I can say to someone is you have to take that leap of faith,” says busy executive Joe Spatola, who suffered from a chronic fear of flying for many years (despite being heavily into snowmobiles and fast cars) before using the SOAR system (more on that later) to fight back at his phobia. “One quote that I have shared in the past was, ‘You’ll never live if you’re too afraid to die’. I got to a point where I said, you know what, I’m being limited by not flying for over 10 years and the things I want to see, and I was in my mid-20s before I decided I needed to do something about not flying.”
Managing the Fear: Before the Flight
The good news? You don’t have to grit your teeth and bear it. With some prep, you can board with confidence—or at least fake it ‘til you land.
“Understanding the fear requires precision mapping,” says Dr Neo. “Is it confined spaces? Specific travel contexts? Underlying professional or personal stress? Incident zero—the original triggering event—provides critical blueprint insights – the body keeps the score. Trauma isn’t just what happened but how it continuously plays out. Like a heavy rock carried across distances, unresolved psychological patterns compound with each journey. Mentally rehearsing their fears and dreads compounds this.”
Educate Yourself: Knowledge is power. The more you understand about flying, the less mysterious it feels. Turbulence? It’s just air moving as the plane passes through it, not a prelude to doom—planes are built to handle it. In fact, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association notes that modern jets can withstand forces far beyond what nature throws at them. Apps like SOAR, created by ex-pilot Tom Bunn, break down the mechanics in bite-sized, fear-busting lessons.
Pick Your Perch: Seat choice matters. Avoid the back, where turbulence feels bumpier, and opt for a spot over the wings for stability. Aisle seats give you breathing room; windows let you reframe the view as scenic, not scary.
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Prep Your Mind: Visualisation works wonders. Picture a smooth flight—boarding, takeoff, landing—days before you go. Pair it with slow, deliberate breathing (four seconds in, six out) to train your body to chill. Apps like Headspace offer guided sessions tailored for travel nerves.
Talk to the Pros: If it’s bad, consider a pre-flight consult. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can rewire your thought patterns, while some airlines (like Virgin Atlantic and British Airways) offer fear-of-flying courses blending simulators and psychology. Worth the expense report?
Pack a Kit: Load your carry-on with distractions—noise-cancelling headphones, a gripping audiobook, or a Sudoku book. Skip the coffee; chamomile tea or a magnesium supplement can take the edge off without a prescription.
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Managing the Fear: During the Flight
You’re airborne—now what? When the seatbelt sign dings and your heart rate spikes, these in-flight tactics can keep you steady.
Breathe Like You Mean It: The 4-7-8 technique—inhale for four, hold for seven, exhale for eight—is a proven anxiety killer. It forces your nervous system to downshift, no yoga mat required.
Distract, Don’t Dwell: Focus on something—anything—else. Count the rivets on the wing (visible from a window seat), play a mobile game like Monument Valley, or mentally rehearse your next pitch. Your brain can’t multitask fear and concentration.
“It’s important to remember that it’s okay to feel fear,” says Shamanovska. “There’s nothing wrong with these feelings—fear or panic attacks won’t actually harm you; they are simply the body’s way of trying to protect you.”
Ground Yourself: Press your feet into the floor (a la John McCain), grip the armrest, and feel the solidity of the plane. It’s a reminder that you’re not floating in chaos—you’re strapped into a marvel of engineering.
Chat Up the Crew: Flight attendants have seen it all. A quick “I’m a nervous flyer” can score you reassurance—or at least a free ginger ale. Pilots often announce turbulence ahead; hearing “it’s normal” from the cockpit can defuse the tension.
Medicate Wisely: If all else fails, a doctor-prescribed low-dose anti-anxiety med (think lorazepam) can smooth the edges. Pair it with a water chaser—booze might feel good, but it dehydrates you into a worse mess.
“Finally and most importantly, we often believe others are watching our every move– i.e. the spotlight effect,” says Dr Neo. “The truth is, most people are too consumed by their own world; realising no one really cares about you (or that they have seen you breathe/fidget anxiously) can be a game-changer.”
Fear of flying might be common, but it’s not invincible. Whether it’s the loss of control, the tight quarters, or that one bad flight you can’t un-remember, the causes are real—and so are the fixes.
“The key insight for any traveler is recognizing the difference between perceived threat and actual danger,” says Shamanovska. “Your fear is a natural, protective instinct—but it’s not a sign of real risk. In the controlled environment of an airplane, your body’s reaction is just a leftover survival mechanism from another time.”
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