r/fearofflying

The last time I was on a plane everyone on it thought we were gonna die. I’m not being dramatic. We were flying back from Germany when we hit what I’m guessing was 2 huge air pockets. We dropped 2000 feet 2 times. Things were flying everywhere, people were screaming and crying and soda flew over everyone. Flight attendants were rushing around checking doors and acting strange and not one person explained anything to us. It was so traumatizing my husband and I haven’t flown since. And mind you he was in the military and did some crazy stuff and even he thought we were gonna die. Now we have to fly to Canada in ONE WEEK AND IM TRIPPING. Please explain to me what happened and how I’m going to get through this. I have meds but hate to take meds. Should I take them? How will I feel on them?

So in past days I read about an emergency of a flight ( I think they had depressurization) which happened shortly after take off, but before attempted to land I read that they first needed to burn fuel because it was heavy weight for landing or something like that. I got really curious to what if is a really emergent situation and the airplane is full of fuel, what would happen? Do they always need to burn fuel first, what if there is no time for that?

I am on a flight and we are at 36000 feet. Flight radar still thinks we are at 34000 feet. Should I say something?

I've been reading everyone's posts from the sidelines, but today is my turn to post and ask for someone to "hold my hand". Im flying out of NY JFK to Madrid Flight IB212. Then I fly to Malaga. As if one flight wasn't bad enough. Im solo, and I'm spiraling. I'm stressed that this is a forced work trip, though some would say STFU you have an all expense paid trip to a gorgeous resort in Malaga. My husband is my safety blanket and I have nothing but my thoughts with me now. Im thinking of all the worse possible outcomes-the Dubai incident did not help. Loss of control and turbulence is my biggest fear. I literally looked up all the statistics of what activities are statistically more dangerous than flying and it was something ridiculous like 1 in 11 million and my thought is well, thats me. I'm that 1. Send help 😢

I went to vegas. Was so afraid at first but i did it! In fact, i got bored there and back and wished it was a bit more rocky bcs it was kinda fun.

I didnt even need my anxiety medicine.

I sadly have no advice. I truly just locked in. This typically doesnt work for my anxiety so idk why it worked this time.

Hi there, I’m flying from Ohio to PA this weekend and while there’s supposed to be mild weather during the time I’m flying - heavy rainfall in those areas isn’t predicted until the next day - I’m still very nervous. Even if it’s mild on the ground, will the flight still be affected from the hurricane (even if it’s hundreds of miles away) when we’re in the sky?
Sorry if this is a silly question…I’m just already an extremely anxious flyer on a good day and the hurricane really is not helping.

2nd flight and then ONE MORE after until my final destination. I think I feel slightly okay this time, but I’m still shaking and feel like crying. I feel like I’m gonna fall out of the sky when we take off 😭. During my 1st flight I felt like I was just waiting for something bad to happen. I’m definitely nervous for my last flight after this one before I reach the final destination because the asiana flights to the Philippines always look old on the inside and there’s never any wifi. I’m really scared again :) Thank you everyone. It’s also reallyyyyy foggy here in Seattle

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Flying into the hurricane bands and I'm not excited.

Is this a thing for anyone else? Don’t get me wrong, international travel is fucking terrifying, but something about domestic flights has my stomach in knots.

My brain tries to convince me that because it’s a shorter flight maybe the pilots are paying less attention? Or maybe they don’t check the planes as much as they do for international flights? I don’t know.

I’m taking a 1:30 flight tomorrow (CGH to IOS, Brazil) and I’m just about shitting my pants.

I really need some help not to lose my job.

I’ve always had fear of flying, but two years ago it was better. I posted on this group in 2024, and took 19 flights that year which was a record for me. Was still scared throughout, but I could get on flights. A year ago I made it all the way to Fiji for the holiday of a lifetime with my partner, and that flight gave me tonnes of confidence.

Fast forward to 2026. Life became stressful at work and with other family things. I had to fly to see my best friend get married, and only just made it on the plane in March for a 3.5 hour flight which was one long panic attack. I missed the first ever long haul family holiday mine has ever done this summer- to New Zealand for two weeks - because I was too scared of being scared on the flight. For work, I’ve missed two trips this year with business class flights, and work are about to fire me for not flying in November this year on the third trip London to Chicago. I have a dream job - president of a successful company in data analytics - but I’m going to lose it.

It’s not safety I fear, it’s the sensation of turbulence and the fear of the fear. I’ve now cancelled so many flights and left the plane so many times, I’ve lost any confidence I can make it on. Once a ticket gets booked, I just throw up repeatedly from stress until i can’t function in any setting and I cancel. I tried cbt, medication and hypno but they have all stopped working. I want exposure therapy to help but that needs me to get on a plane. I’d pay anything at this point so I don’t get fired, but I don’t know what’s left.

I don’t know how to get through this, this group have been amazing for me and I don’t know what I’m asking for, solutions or hope or something, but I feel hopeless and I’m stuck sobbing in bed whilst my family are asleep and I could use some strangers on the internet to tell me it will somehow get better

I’m really nervous and not sure what to do. Currently in Prague returning home tomorrow with a stop in Amsterdam then to Atlanta. I’m not a super nervous flyer but I obviously don’t like turbulence and flying in rain. And this actually is my first transatlantic flight / first time in Europe and I’m alone.

Hurricane Isaias has become active and based on the trajectory it’s like near the Alabama - Georgia border. I land at 6:50 pm in ATL. I just got an email from Delta saying that the weather may impact my travel plans and to consider reviewing (if I’m flexible) other flight options. I’m actually not flexible. I am flying from ATL to SFO on Oct 12 for another conference.

I’m already really nervous for the journey again but I’m also overwhelmed at what I should do and that’s making me more nervous about flying altogether.

Hi friends,

I'm traveling solo for a work retreat flying from JFK to Madrid, flight IB212. I need some reassurance please!

At the airport

AA 1045

I am so nervous. I want to do nervous shopping. Lol

I believe the flight number is W6 1802. Feeling super anxious, but I have a movie downloaded. Hoping minimal turbulence 🥲

Hi! Have one hour to go on delta 637. We were told this last not would be turbulent. And it sure is, drinks are spilling and all of that. Would
Love some tracking or just some reassurance!

I would call myself a nervous flyer, just because my brain has trouble logically figuring out how it can actually be safe. But I fly all the time and I’m always fine with it. But holy shit. Last night I was on a flight from Denver to the east coast, and the pilot warned that we were going to be going over some turbulence and for the flight attendants to be seated. Sure, normal, whatever. All of a sudden I get a fucking emergency broadcast on my phone (had forgotten to put it in airplane mode because I was reading a book): TORNADO WARNING, SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

We were flying over southern Nebraska. All of a sudden I can see lightning out the window and start feeling some pretty bad turbulence. I wouldn’t call it extreme turbulence, but it was in the top 5% of what I’ve felt in the past. Then I look at the seatback flight map and see our course sharply diverting to the north. I haven’t experienced many panic attacks in my life, but I had a pretty bad one. Felt like I was gonna have a heart attack. Checked my watch after I had calmed down and HR was still in the 120s. Luckily everything was fine, turbulence subsided after about ten minutes and nothing happened beyond that. We went back south to our normal course.