The moment most people struggle with on a flight (and how to handle it)

Why do certain moments during a flight trigger anxiety more than others, and how to respond when they do.

Not all parts of a flight feel the same. Many people with a fear of flying can identify a specific moment where their anxiety increases sharply. It might be when boarding the plane, when the doors close, during takeoff, or at the first sign of turbulence.

There is often a clear shift. Before that moment, things might feel manageable. You might feel uncertain, but still relatively in control. Then something changes, and the experience becomes much more intense.

These moments tend to have something in common. They mark a point where the situation feels more real, and where the sense of control decreases. When the plane doors close, there is a recognition that you cannot easily leave. When the plane begins to move, there is a sense that the process has started and cannot be paused. During takeoff, the physical sensations themselves can feel unfamiliar and overwhelming.

Your brain registers these changes quickly. It interprets them as significant, and your body responds accordingly. You might notice a surge of anxiety, a tightening in your chest, or a strong urge to get off the plane.

That urge can feel very compelling. Even if you know logically that you are safe, there can be a powerful sense that you need to escape. This is your nervous system doing what it is designed to do. It is trying to move you away from what it perceives as a threat.

The difficulty is that in this context, escaping is not an option. And so the focus often shifts to trying to reduce the feeling as quickly as possible. You might try to distract yourself, reassure yourself, or push the feeling away.

Again, this is completely understandable. But it can create more struggle. The moment becomes something you need to get through, rather than something you can experience and allow to pass.

A different approach is to stay with the moment, rather than trying to escape it internally. This might involve noticing what is happening in your body, noticing what your mind is saying, and recognising the urge to get away without needing to act on it.

You might notice, for example, “This is the moment I usually struggle with.” You might notice the physical sensations building and remind yourself that this is your body responding, not a sign that something is wrong.

These moments do pass. Even if they feel intense, they are time-limited. And each time you stay with them, even in a small way, you build a different kind of experience. One where you begin to see that you can handle the peak, not just the calmer parts of the flight.

Over time, that changes your relationship with these moments. They may still feel uncomfortable, but they are no longer something you have to avoid at all costs.

— Dr Kristy