Mental wellbeing on board: managing takeoff anxiety

What do takeoff noises really mean

A few seconds after lifting off, the pilot reduces engine power slightly, shifting from maximum takeoff thrust to climb thrust, and retracts the landing gear: the change in noise and the double "clonk" that many perceive as a problem are exactly this sequence, monitored by redundant systems.

Box breathing for the critical moment

Box breathing (also called "square breathing") consists of inhaling while counting to four, holding for four seconds, exhaling for four seconds, and waiting another four before the next breath. It is also used by military pilots to manage acute stress peaks and helps quickly reset the autonomic nervous system during runway acceleration and takeoff.

Turbulence is not a sign of danger

Thinking of the aircraft as immersed in a dense fluid, similar to water, helps perceive bumps as waves to traverse rather than structural instability. To understand in detail why turbulence does not risk the aircraft structure, this guide goes into technical details and strategies for facing it with greater calm.

Talk to the crew

Reporting your discomfort to a flight attendant is not a sign of weakness: staff are trained to handle exactly these moments, can provide specific information about the current flight, and often just a brief exchange of words is enough to put tension into perspective.

If takeoff is your critical moment, start box breathing already during taxiing to the runway, not when the aircraft is already accelerating: arriving at liftoff with your breathing already slowed greatly reduces the anxiety peak in the following minutes.