corporate-wage-slave

I haven't seen a peer-reviewed piece of scientific research on this, but the oft quoted percentage of flyers who are at least to some degree nervous of the experience is between 30% and 33%. Which seems a high figure and if you add in the percentage of those who would say "no, never" there probably is another at least sub-conscious chunk to add on top. My late father was nervous of flying despite (I hope) the fact that he used to be an aircraft engineer.

I actually notice it more in airport security checkpoints, particularly those countries such as UK, France, NL, Belgium, Germany, Nordics where they are particularly rigorous. The commonsense of grown, sentient, intelligent men and women seem to go to mush when confronted with the horror induced by a rectangular grey tray. Putting your trust in other people and processes outside your control, with some risk attached, doesn't come easy to everyone.

Finally, realistically there are very few people who fly most days of the week. Maybe a few in this forum, in the real world it's pretty much a statistical zero. Twice a year is far more typical, even twice a month makes it a non standard activity. I don't go to professional rugby matches that often, but when I do I may eat a pie or sausage roll of unknown, perhaps doubtful origin, the meat from which I can't possibly check. As someone concerned for animal welfare I would never do that in day to day eating. So when you do something rare or strange the usual personal defences often fall away.