How I plan to overcome anxiety about flying after recent deadly air accidents


I have always been a nervous flier. The second I take my assigned seat in a plane, I pull my headphones over my ears and glue my eyes shut in an attempt to drown out the sound of a plane taking off.

Research shows that up to 40 per cent of Americans report some degree of flight anxiety. Given the recent string of incidents, experts say it is understandable that those with flight anxiety would feel more on edge than usual.

โ€œThe odds of something happening donโ€™t matter as much to the anxious brain,โ€ says Andrea Bonior, a teaching professor in Georgetown Universityโ€™s department of psychology in Washington. โ€œThe anxious brain is drawn in by the horrific stakes of something.โ€

So how should you approach your next flight? Here are five tips to ease your mind before take-off.

An American Eagle flight takes off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in front of the wreckage of a sister airliner that collided with a military helicopter in mid-air, killing all 67 people on both aircraft. Photo: EPA-EFE
An American Eagle flight takes off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in front of the wreckage of a sister airliner that collided with a military helicopter in mid-air, killing all 67 people on both aircraft. Photo: EPA-EFE

1. Know the facts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *