In recent months, the US airline industry has experienced a notable decline in flight bookings, a trend that has raised concerns among carriers and industry analysts alike. While economic factors such as recession fears and reduced consumer spending play a role, a significant contributor to this downturn is an unexpected psychological factor – which is surprisingly more common than you’d think. Read on to find out what this reason is and how it has been exacerbated by a series of recent aviation accidents, leading to a palpable decline in consumer confidence in air travel.
Aerophobia: the fear of flying and its impact on travel behavior According to CNN Business , major US carriers, including Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, have experienced a decline in ticket sales and forecast revenue. Although there are several obvious factors causing this – such as economic uncertainty and a drop in consumer confidence – the fear of flying has also changed the outlook of flight demand, following a series of incidents and accidents. Aerophobia, commonly known as the fear of flying, is a psychological condition that affects more than 25 million adults in the US – that’s nearly 10% of the adult population.
While some individuals experience mild discomfort or nervousness before a flight, others suffer from debilitating anxiety that prevents them from boarding an aircraft altogether, per the Cleveland Clinic . In the wake of recent aviation accidents, aerophobia has become a g.
