An airline pilot has suggested that the best time for nervous flyers to take off is early in the morning, particularly during the summer months. The pilot, called Chris, offered this advice during a Q&A session about flying, providing guidance for those who feel anxious.
He explained that early flights are beneficial at this time of year due to the way hot air rises and causes turbulence later in the day.
Therefore, theoretically, if someone catches an early flight when the air is cooler and less volatile, the likelihood of experiencing turbulence could be reduced.
Speaking on the ‘Travel Tips by Laurie’ YouTube channel, he advised: “If you’re an anxious flyer I highly recommend you choose to fly very early in the morning before lunchtime.
“Especially in the summertime, that just tends to be when the Earth heats up and creates uneven currents that can create some bumps and turbulence.”
Chris added: “Airplanes that are in turbulence, you’ll feel less of the effects of it, normally, if you sit forward of the wings.
“I realise with a lot of airlines it costs extra to sit up there now, but closer to the front of the airplane you’ll feel less of the yaw that an airplane has so. Yaw is the back of the tail going side to side.”
Chris has spoken out about the increasing anxiety among flyers, a concern that has seen a slight uptick following several high-profile aircraft crashes in recent years.
The spread of crash footage on social media platforms like TikTok is alleged to be contributing to an increase in these fears, some experts suggest.
Speaking to the Independent, travel guru Simon Calder discussed this pattern, referencing the response to the tragic Air India disaster that claimed 270 lives.
He remarked: “TikTok videos and social media posts in the aftermath of the crash shows that anxieties have been amplified over getting on a plane…However, voicing fears of flying right after a crash is not uncommon.”
Professor Robert Bor, a clinical aviation and aerospace psychologist, commented that while fear of flying may spike after such incidents, it doesn’t necessarily translate into a significant decline in air travel.
Speaking to the same publication, he commented: “People may feel stressed, they may get sweaty, they may do a lot of thinking. They may do some bargaining with people around them, with themselves, with God or whoever it may be.
“But it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an avoidance. With flying, there will be people who don’t want to be on the plane, but who are going to manage it.”