Fear of flying: guides for your next flight

Sounds and sensations

• Why does the plane feel like it's falling after takeoff?

  Why the plane feels like it's falling after takeoff: what your inner ear senses, what thrust and flap changes add, and what to do in the first minute.

Safety and statistics

• Fear of flying after plane crash news: what helps

  Fear of flying after plane crash news: what the safety numbers do and don't say, how investigations work and a short routine for limiting the news.

When anxiety spikes

• What to do if you have a panic attack on a plane

  What to do if you have a panic attack on a plane: steps you can take in your seat, what to say to the crew, and when to ask for urgent help.

• Should I tell the flight attendant I'm scared of flying?

  Should I tell the flight attendant I'm scared of flying? What to say at boarding, what crew can and cannot do, and when to speak up at once.

Before your flight

• Scared of flying tomorrow? What to do tonight and on the day

  Scared of flying tomorrow, what to do? A plan for tonight, the morning, the airport and the plane, plus when to get help. Self-help, not treatment.

Specific situations

• Claustrophobia on a plane: a plan from boarding to landing

  Claustrophobia on a plane: how it differs from fear of flying, what the cabin air and doors do, and a plan for boarding, takeoff and the seat belt sign.

• Anxious about your first flight in years? What to expect

  First flight in years and anxiety: what to expect at the airport and on board, how to plan the first stretch, and when to ask for help.

• Are go-arounds dangerous? What an aborted landing means

  Are go-arounds dangerous? What a go-around is, why pilots abort a landing, how often it happens and a short routine for the minutes afterward.

• Why do plane engines get quieter after takeoff?

  Engines can sound quieter after takeoff when thrust is reduced to a climb setting. That is not an engine shutdown. What to do if the change worries you.

• Why does turbulence feel like falling?

  The falling feeling in turbulence involves your inner ear, which reacts to sudden up-and-down motion. Why it can’t measure a drop, and what to do.