Kenneth Glad
Many passengers feel uneasy when they cannot see what is happening around them. In aviation, that uncertainty is often met by training, procedures and backup systems.
For anxious travellers, the worry can start at the gate, long before the seatbelt sign comes on. A bump during climb, a change in engine noise or a flight attendant moving quickly through the aisle can feel more serious than it is.
The Daily Express has interviewed former Royal Air Force and British Airways pilot Simon Tranter and former commercial pilot Dan Bubb about the fears passengers often carry onto planes.
Their answers point to one main idea: Flying is designed around preparation. Crews are trained for problems, aircraft include backup systems and many situations that sound frightening are already covered by procedure.
Safety is not priced by ticket
Some passengers wonder whether cheaper airlines are less safe. Tranter told the paper that ticket cost affects comfort, seat space and onboard extras, not the safety rules airlines must follow.
Bubb made a similar point, saying pilots across the industry are trained and assessed to demanding standards, regardless of the airline’s business model.
The aircraft may offer a different passenger experience, but the basic expectations for crew competence and operational safety do not disappear with a lower fare.
Independent data adds perspective. The International Air Transport Association said airlines operated 38.7 million flights in 2025, with 51 accidents recorded worldwide.
Failures are planned for
Mechanical fears often focus on engines, landing gear and windows. Tranter explained that aircraft are built with multiple backup systems, while pilots practise unusual situations in simulators before facing them in real life.
Engine failure is one example. Pilots train for it extensively, and commercial aircraft can continue flying and land safely on one working engine.
Tranter also noted, writes the Daily Express, that even a total loss of engine power would not make a plane drop from the sky, as airliners can glide while crews follow emergency procedures.
Bubb recalled one engine failure during take-off on a Grand Canyon passenger flight. “We shut down the failed engine, declared an emergency and landed on the single, good engine without any problem.”
That example captures the wider point: Aviation is not built on the assumption that nothing will go wrong. It is built around backup systems, repeated training and clear procedures for when something does.
Weather rarely surprises pilots
Storms, lightning and bird strikes can sound alarming, but pilots are trained to identify and avoid many risks before passengers notice them.
Radar helps crews steer around severe weather, while aircraft are designed to handle lightning strikes.
Bird strikes are usually minor, though Bubb noted that rare cases can be serious, including the Hudson River landing.
For nervous passengers, reassurance may come from knowing that pilots are not improvising in moments of pressure.
They are following rehearsed steps, supported by aircraft systems and ground procedures. The fear may feel personal, but the response is professional, practised and built into every stage of the flight.
Sources: Daily Express, International Air Transport Association
