Air Passengers With A Serious Fear Of Flying Prefer This Affordable Airline Carrier For One Simple Reason

Many of us can admit to experiencing some nerves or stress while flying, particularly during takeoff or landing. Thankfully, there are expert recommendations to help you feel safer in the air, and it's also important to know things like the time of day you should avoid flying during summer at all costs. However, if you have a serious fear of flying — known as aerophobia — you may struggle more than others. However, you're not alone, as aerophobia potentially affects more than 25 million Americans (via Cleveland Clinic). For some flyers, though, one airline in particular stands out from the rest in easing their fears and anxieties: JetBlue.

The main reason for this is actually pretty simple. JetBlue offers more in-flight entertainment — including free, high speed Wi-Fi and seat screens on every flight. Having access to movies and Wi-Fi gives fearful flyers more valuable distractions to stop them from thinking about their anxiety. Wi-Fi especially allows passengers to stay in contact with loved ones on the ground, which — according to Redditors on r/fearofflying — is useful for moral support or just maintaining peace of mind.

Another reason people favor JetBlue is its fleet of modern Airbus planes. Many flyers consider Airbus planes to be safer than their older Boeing counterparts, and the added level of comfort and space allows them to better focus on anxiety-reducing techniques such as breathing exercises. Beyond that, there are also theories around cabin altitude, and how modern planes (and their lower altitudes) can help decrease fatigue and stress, potentially resulting in a calmer flight.

While JetBlue seems to be naturally appealing to anxious flyers with its amenities and planes, the airline isn't content to leave it there. It offers additional services to help you relax, including a free two-month Audible subscription, so you can listen to pretty much any book (including those on meditation or overcoming your fears while flying) midair. Additionally, JetBlue also offers a more personalized in-flight experience that allows you to seamlessly watch movies with other passengers, order using your screen, and receive personal greetings. These little touches can all help you feel calmer. 

Beyond that, there's a long list of genius hacks that make flying in economy a lot more comfortable. However, you may not need these with JetBlue, as the airline has a reputation for featuring extended legroom, decent in-flight meals, and excellent flight attendants. In fact, flight attendants are particularly important for reducing aerophobia, as voicing any concerns you have and receiving informed responses is known to reduce anxiety. 

For travelers with a debilitating fear of flying, there are many other ways you can help your aerophobia. These include treatments such as eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR), Internet-based exposure therapy, game-changing apps for dealing with turbulence, and virtual reality exposure therapy. Finally, if all else fails, there are also prescription medications available to make flights a little more bearable.