Pilot shares secret hack to help overcome fear of flying

Most people have fears of some kind. While these might seem harmless, they can sometimes interfere with daily life. The fear of flying is one such fear and not an uncommon one at that. In order to relieve flyers from this fear, a pilot took to TikTok to share a valuable tip for passengers who struggle with feeling comfortable while flying in an aircraft. The pilot named Steve—who goes by @captainsteeeve on the platform—shared the tip in the hopes that it would help people on the internet.

"Afraid to fly? You're not alone. A lot of people have a fear of flying, and it's usually due to turbulence," the captain stated in his video. "But turbulence is no big deal. I want you to think of turbulence as a river. A river has currents. Sometimes, it's smooth. Sometimes, it's real smooth like a lake. Sometimes, it's a little more rapid where the water picks up speed. Sometimes, it's really rapid. Like white water rafting where the air currents are no different." He shared that turbulence sometimes picks up speed just like a river does. "Sometimes they get a little bumpy, but that's when you feel unsafe in the airplane, when the airplane starts to bump," he explained.

"The next time, before you take off and you are boarding the airplane, do this: Ask the flight attendant and visit the pilot. Ask them about the route of the flight. Tell them that you are a nervous flyer," the captain revealed. "They will put you at ease. They will explain to you the route of the flight." He disclosed that the pilot would also tell the person about any possible bumps in the route. "That reassurance will make all the difference. The next time you fly on a jet airliner, I am Captain Steve. Fly safe." The caption read, "Overcoming Your Fear of Flying: Tips from a Pilot. Many share the fear of flying, often due to turbulence. With insights from Captain Steve, discover how to view turbulence like a river and gain confidence in the cockpit. Engage with pilots and learn to fly worry-free!"

The video has garnered nearly one million views. People appreciated the captain's advice and shared their own experiences. @dwmatty wrote, "Not worried about turbulence. It's the shortcuts on maintenance to cut costs and the reduced health standards for pilots so they qualify to fly." @workmugume3 asked, "Captain, I fly every three months, but I have a problem with air turbulence. I feel like dying when the plane starts shaking."

@claydiva1 remarked, "I developed a phobia during a storm as a young mother. My traveling husband got me back in planes and I'm 99% cured. I have flown to Africa two times, Thailand, India five times, South America and countless fights to the UK." @turow26 shared, "Someone told me once it was like the plane is sitting in a bowl of jello and sometimes it wiggles, but it isn't going to fall to the bottom of the bowl. I haven't been scared since." @mytwopennys expressed, "I once talked to our pilot upon boarding. I told him how afraid I was. He asked what he could do to help me. I said, 'If we hit turbulence, can you just make a quick announcement that we're ok?' He agreed. What I didn't know was that he told the flight attendant to keep an eye on me and help me out. He announced that we were ok during turbulence. It was awesome and helped me a lot."

You can follow Steve (@captainsteeeve) on TikTok for more flying-related content.