The average age of onset of fearful flying is 27 years. Fearful flyers often report that their anxiety developed after the birth of a child.
Who is at risk for aerophobia? Aerophobia is most common in people between the ages of 17 and 34. This is a time in life when significant changes occur, such as graduation, marriage or childbirth. People may be scared that flying jeopardizes their life at such an important time.
Calm them down
Anxiety is a normal reaction to fear of flying for some children so if they do get anxious try the following: Give them a hug and reassure them at key moments of the flight. Sing their favourite song. Play a game with them or tell them a story.
Fear of flying is quite common. About one in six people have a significant fear that prevents them from flying, and about one in five regular flyers use alcohol or prescription drugs to 'help' them through a flight.
There is no specific cause of aerophobia, as the fear usually originates from a combination of factors. The fear of heights can be genetically inherited, or the fear of flying may be modeled to kids by their parents. Increased exposure to media that show plane crashes or other incidents may also play a role.
People suffering from aviophobia will go to extreme lengths to avoid situations where they might need to take an airplane or helicopter. Although the fear can be localised to flying itself, it is frequently seen in combination with acrophobia (fear of heights), and/or claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces).
Many people are afraid of flying in airplanes, but they shouldn't be. Flying is actually one of the safest ways to travel. In fact, when measured per mile, flying is actually farsafer than driving, or travelling by train. Not only is flying the safest mode of transport, but it is also the fastest.
Luckily, fear of flying is treatable, and there isn't a shortage of ways to deal with it. There are of course personal strategies – some of us don headphones or drink alcohol; others take anti-anxiety medication.
Having a fear of flying is completely normal and more common than you might think. In fact, the fear of flying — otherwise known as aerophobia or aviophobia — affects a large percentage of the population.
The best time to fly with kids
The best times, most agree, are between three and nine months, when kids aren't yet mobile, and any time after age two or three. The idea here is to bypass the toddler phase, and, more importantly, to avoid flying with young infants. The latter is especially risky says Dr.
If you can't give them an antihistamine, giving them ibuprofen or acetaminophen before the flight can help reduce pain. If your child is prone to severe ear pain when flying, you might give them both Benadryl and Tylenol before take-off.
Helping with nausea is one of the benefits of Gravol, but it and the antihistamine Benadryl are also known to make kids sleepy. Because of this, many parents choose to give their kids these medications to help them settle and get some sleep on a plane ride.
Fear of flying, or aviophobia, is an anxiety disorder. About 40 percent of the general population reports some fear of flying, and 2.5 percent have what is classified as a clinical phobia, one in which a person avoids flying or does so with significant distress.
People often come to us requesting the doctor or nurse to prescribe diazepam for fear of flying or assist with sleep during flights. Diazepam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy and more relaxed.
For domestic flights, children under 18 typically do not need personal identification. The ID of the accompanying responsible adult will suffice. (Note: The new rules on REAL ID-complaint cards that go into effect in May 2025 only apply to travelers age 18 and older.)
Typically, minors under the age of 18 do not have to present identification for domestic U.S. travel. Airlines will accept identification from the responsible adult on behalf of the minor(s). For international travel, minors under the age of 18 must present the same travel documents as the adult.
Anxiety may present as fear or worry, but can also make children irritable and angry. Anxiety symptoms can also include trouble sleeping, as well as physical symptoms like fatigue, headaches, or stomachaches. Some anxious children keep their worries to themselves and, thus, the symptoms can be missed.
It's not unusual for parents to consider avoiding such potential problems by using medication to make their baby sleep. Medication is a tempting way to keep your baby quiet for a few hours during a trip, but I don't recommend it.
Medicating children for a flight
I advise my parents to give a dose of paracetamol or ibuprofen especially if the child has had a recent ear infection or cold. It is really important to ensure you are giving the correct dose. This can be given 30 minutes before take-off.
Parents can try giving their child 0.5-1mg of melatonin 30 minutes to 2 hours before bed. It's better to try it before travel to make sure there are no side effects – none are expected to be serious, but some children may paradoxically have their sleep disrupted rather than helped by melatonin.
To prove your child's age to an airline, one of the following documents will suffice: Child's passport (how to get a U.S. passport for an infant and things to know about children's passports) Child's birth certificate. Child's immunization form or other medical records may also work domestically.