Fear of flying due to emetophobia

Hi everyone. Sorry if my post might make some of you laugh, but here’s the thing—I’m emetophobic, which means I’m terrified of vomiting or seeing someone vomit. So, I’m *extremely* afraid of flying and the possibility of someone getting sick on the plane. I’m taking a flight in a few days from Lyon to Palma de Mallorca. I know it’s a short flight, but I’m still terrified that someone might get sick. I was wondering if there are any professionals or frequent travelers who could honestly share their thoughts or experiences with this. Thanks in advance for your kindness and support.

Hi, Personally, after all the times I've flown, I've never seen anyone vomit. So in my opinion, the risk is minimal. Fred

These days, it’s pretty rare to see someone throw up on a plane unless you’re in the back seat of a fighter jet.

Letting the cabin crew (the purser) know is a good first step for traveling peacefully.

Thanks so much for your message—it’s still quite reassuring. My emetophobia is really tough to manage when I have to travel, and the fear makes me totally irrational....

thanks so much for your message, I think you're right—I’ll let the crew know, but I’ll admit I feel a bit embarrassed to say I’m scared of seeing someone throw up during turbulence or just throw up in general... it seems so silly to people who don’t get it

The cabin crew would rather be warned than deal with an emergency. The cabin crew will be more attentive.

Hi there,

I don’t recall ever experiencing a situation like that, even though turbulence can sometimes feel long when it’s not necessarily the case. In such situations, the pilot tries to avoid it by changing the route if possible. Let the crew know—it’ll reassure you just in case.

Safe travels and enjoy your flight!

In over 50 years of traveling, I’ve never seen anyone vomit on a plane... On the other hand, it’s more common on boats. I assume you’ve seen someone vomit in other circumstances? So why is it more distressing or anxiety-inducing for you on a plane? Couldn’t this phobia be primarily linked to a fear of flying? There are therapies to treat many phobias—fear of flying included—which have a high success rate. I’d recommend consulting a psychologist who specializes in treating phobias.

Thanks so much for your message! ☺️ Yes, unfortunately, I’ve already seen sick people in certain places, but I try to avoid them as much as possible because it’s a real phobia for me. I do my best to steer clear of public transport or places where I might see someone being sick. A year ago, I decided to start therapy to overcome my phobia, but so far, I haven’t had much success… because I’m terrified at the thought of flying on Tuesday. Otherwise, I’m not afraid of the plane itself or the possibility of turbulence—I know flying is a very safe way to travel. I know it might sound silly, but I’m just scared of being near someone who’s sick during turbulence. This phobia makes me so irrational—I hope one day I’ll be able to get a little better…

Thanks so much for your message, it’s a bit reassuring
F60A. I’m trying to tell myself that on a short flight like the one I’m taking, everything should be fine, but you’re right—I’ll let the crew know about my phobia just in case. Maybe that’ll help calm my nerves a little
F60A.

My wife took a plane (second time in her life) recently to go to Lyon / Brussels, and she threw up as soon as the wheels were no longer touching the ground. 😏😮😏

The hot chocolate from the airport, she said. 😇

But nothing on the way back.