Travelling by plane can be a major source of stress, even for frequent flyers. Luggage storage platform Bounce.com has compiled a list of the most common triggers behind in-flight travel anxiety, revealing some insightful findings.
To create the ranking, Bounce surveyed 2,000 travellers, asking them to identify the aspects of flying that make them feel uneasy or uncomfortable. The most frequently mentioned factors were then ranked from most to least anxiety-inducing.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, screaming children topped the list as the leading cause of travel anxiety. Turbulence followed closely, with just a 0.1 per cent difference. Loud passengers were also reported as more anxiety-inducing than flight delays or even unhelpful cabin crew.
10 triggers inducing anxiety
- Screaming children – 51.6%
- Turbulence – 51.5%
- Loud people around you – 46.7%
- Delays – 40.3%
- Smelly toilets – 39.8%
- Unfriendly cabin crew – 34.7%
- Overcrowded aisles – 33.9%
- Randomly allocated seating – 28.1%
- The cabin being too hot or cold – 25.8%
- Busy toilets – 25.7%
Based on the survey results, Bounce also assessed airlines worldwide to identify those best suited to nervous flyers. Key criteria included seat specifications, cabin crew service, and available passenger support.
According to Bounce’s research, Singapore Airlines came out at the top of the ranking.
“With perfect review and safety ratings, alongside an overall stress-free score of 8.94 out of 10, this airline excels in passenger experience. One standout feature is its economy class seat width of 18.5 inches — the widest among the top 10 — which means more room to relax on long-haul flights. While Singapore Airlines doesn’t offer a dedicated nervous flyer support program, it provides in-flight meditation playlists to help passengers relax. Offerings include curated Spotify playlists of nature sounds and instrumental albums that promise soothing rhythms”, their review reads.
Korean Air secured second place, praised for its generous economy seat pitch, perfect safety score, and high passenger reviews. Cathay Pacific rounded out the top three, offering onboard relaxation playlists, an official partnership with Headspace for meditation, and comfortable seat dimensions.
