Atmospheric Turbulence Education Effects on Flight Anxiety

The purpose of this study was to determine if education and increased knowledge about the atmosphere and turbulence can decrease flight anxiety in university students. Turbulence increases revenue loss through aircraft repairs and maintenance, rerouted and delayed flights, and passenger and crew injury compensation. One of the largest implications of turbulence is that it increases distress and anxiety for passengers. The majority of anxious fliers don’t see flying as unsafe, but they do avoid flying because of the unsettled feelings it causes, further decreasing revenue. Flight anxiety is a common disorder that affects many individuals. It can present itself as fear of flying or as anxiety related to specific aspects of flying, such as turbulence. Current resources for flight anxiety include breathing exercises, medication, self-help books, and problem-oriented therapy approaches including Dial-A-Pilot and an online program, SOAR. Most of the resources have extensive information on the mechanics of the plane, flight routine tips, and cabin crew routine information to help ease concerns. Most of these resources do not include weather-related information surrounding turbulence, although research shows it is one of the largest anxiety inducing aspects of flying.

A quantitative approach was implemented using a pre-post survey method. As part of this experiment, participants viewed an educational video on atmospheric turbulence that was created to influence their flight anxiety levels during their flight and flight routine. The population surveyed included 169 students from Mississippi State University who attended various study-abroad trips over the summer of 2024. The faculty leaders for each trip encouraged the students to take a pre-flight survey before their departure and a post-flight survey that was taken once they landed at their destination. A monetary incentive was offered to the participants as a drawing for gift cards to encourage survey participation. The surveys inquired about their anxiety levels associated with different moments during the flight routine and flight. Within the surveys, varying levels of flight anxiety were measured on a Likert scale using factors 1-3 on the Flight Anxiety Situations Questionnaire (FAS) which addressed generalized, anticipatory, and in-flight anxiety. Other questions inquiring about background information on the trip, demographics, previous experiences, the FAS, and the weather education video on turbulence. After watching the video within the pre-flight survey, participants answered the FAS again and questions checking for understanding. Once they arrived at their destination, the students took a five-minute post-flight survey which included the FAS once again and questions about their flight and any turbulence experienced. This allowed students to record their anxiety levels at 3 points during their flight routine.

The study-abroad trips included international flights, therefore, we expected higher pre-flight anxiety levels due to the longer journey. University-aged students are expected to have less flying experience, especially for international travel, than middle-aged adults. Knowing this, the weather education video was expected to have more of an impact on their flight anxiety, debunking any myths that they have about weather and turbulence. Anxiety levels measured using the FAS were estimated to decrease after watching the video as well as decrease post-flight. General anxiety trends for the FAS were also expected to decrease, but especially for FAS items #29 and #30. These two items directly addressed turbulence, which was the main theme of the video. Decreased flight anxiety surrounding turbulence is expected with this methodology.

This research aims to contribute to the field by determining if weather education can be used to ease people’s anxieties during unavoidable turbulent flights. The findings will provide insights into the potential to enhance airline revenue and support the integration of weather education into in vivo therapy approaches.