A tragic Air India crash has triggered a nationwide wave of flight anxiety, prompting a surge in demand for therapy sessions to combat fear of flyingIn Bengaluru, a retired Air Force officer鈥檚 simulation-based course has seen a tenfold rise in interest since the incidentAs unsettling footage of the crash continues to circulate, many Indian travellers are cancelling flights, switching airlines, and seeking psychological support
A fatal crash involving Air India flight 171 has sparked a dramatic rise in demand for flight anxiety therapy in India, with a Bengaluru-based centre reporting a tenfold surge in enquiries.
The June 12 crash, captured in widely circulated CCTV footage, left 260 dead and deeply rattled public confidence in air travel.
Retired Air Force wing commander Dinesh K., 55, who runs Cockpit Vista, India鈥檚 only dedicated centre for fear of flying solutions, said the incident had triggered a wave of psychological distress. Since the tragedy, his $500 course has received more than 100 enquiries鈥攗p from a typical 10 a month.
鈥淔ear of flying is typically to do with things happening on an aeroplane鈥攖he sounds, motion, vibrations 鈥 exposure therapy is the only solution,鈥 Dinesh told Reuters during a tour of the facility.
Flight simulation therapy gains traction
Located in Bengaluru, Cockpit Vista combines counselling with realistic flight simulation in Boeing and Cessna cockpits. Clients learn how mechanical vibrations and sounds align with normal aircraft operations, easing their fears through structured exposure.
Messages shared by Dinesh reveal clients suffering from acute anxiety. Some reported 鈥渓osing confidence鈥 while others described the psychological impact as 鈥渢oo hard on the brain鈥.
The cockpit footage of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner鈥檚 ill-fated take-off鈥攚here the plane ascended to 650 feet before plummeting into a fireball鈥攈as become a focal point of national anxiety. Mental health practitioners confirm a noticeable uptick in insomnia, obsessive flight tracking, and heightened fear over loved ones鈥 travel plans.
Surge in flight cancellations and selective flying
Reports from Jaya Tours in Mumbai indicate many passengers are actively avoiding Air India and filtering airlines based on aircraft models. Nidhi Bhatia, a 25-year-old marketing consultant based in London, stated, 鈥淚 am filtering on the basis of not having to fly a Boeing 鈥 I鈥檓 bloody terrified currently, and I don鈥檛 want to get back on a flight.鈥
Industry data further underscore the crash鈥檚 impact. According to the Indian Association of Tour Operators, bookings have dropped 15鈥20%, with up to 40% of confirmed tickets cancelled.
鈥淲e are getting very unusual questions about aircraft type. Earlier passengers didn鈥檛 really care about what kind of aircraft it is,鈥 said association president Ravi Gosain. 鈥淧eople don鈥檛 want to hear about Dreamliners.鈥
Fear of flying in global context
Globally, fear of flying鈥攃linically known as aerophobia鈥攈as seen spikes following air tragedies. In the U.S., a crash involving an American Airlines plane and a helicopter recently prompted 55% of surveyed travellers to report increased anxiety.
Google Trends showed 鈥渇lying fear鈥 searches in India reached peak levels the day after the Air India crash and have remained high. Although flying statistically remains one of the safest forms of travel, emotional responses often outweigh the numbers. In 2023, there were only 1.87 accidents per million departures, with very few take-off incidents in 2024.
Addressing debilitating anxiety
Psychologist Pankti Gohel noted a shift in patient behaviour, with some clients reporting 鈥渄ebilitating anxiety鈥 that disrupted their daily routines. Others are unwilling to let family members board flights, staying glued to their phones for arrival notifications.
Dinesh鈥檚 14-hour Cockpit Vista course, informed by his experience overseeing ground operations during the Kargil conflict, now includes the option for clients to be accompanied on their first post-therapy flights.
While India lacks the extensive infrastructure seen in Western nations for treating flight anxiety, Dinesh鈥檚 programme is becoming a much-needed solution amid the fallout of one of the country鈥檚 most chilling aviation disasters.
Source: Legit.ng