Passenger in distress: panic and anxiety

A panic attack can include a racing heart, trembling, sweating, a feeling of losing control or impending doom, chest tightness, and hyperventilation — breathing unusually fast and shallow. It can be frightening for the passenger even though it is not, by itself, life-threatening.

Fear of flying can trigger these physical symptoms even in passengers who are otherwise completely healthy, particularly during takeoff, turbulence, or landing.

Cabin crew approach this with calm, reassuring communication: speaking slowly and clearly, acknowledging the passenger's feelings without dismissing them, and encouraging slower breathing if the passenger is hyperventilating.

Maintaining a calm environment around the passenger — lowering your own voice, avoiding drawing unnecessary attention, and giving simple, clear information about what is happening on the flight — can help reduce anxiety.

Because panic symptoms can overlap with genuine medical emergencies (such as a heart or breathing problem), crew remain alert for warning signs like chest pain that doesn't ease, one-sided weakness, severe breathlessness unrelated to anxiety, or symptoms that don't improve with reassurance — these are treated as a possible medical emergency, not simply anxiety.

If there is any doubt, crew treat the situation with the same escalation steps used for other medical concerns: informing senior crew, monitoring closely, and seeking medical assistance if needed.