Tapping the plane’s fuselage right before boarding is not uncommon. The reasons why people do that vary, with some saying it settles their fears and others saying they are saying hello to the plane. Let’s take a look at why people do it.
Despite planes being the safest mode of transportation on the planet and having great track records for several decades, some people remain afraid about flying hundreds of miles per hour through the sky.
There is a reason why countless studies have been done, videos have been made, and courses have been written about the fear of flying.
According to a report from The Hill, fear of flying affects as much as 40% of the US population.
A psychologist at the University of Washington who has studied air travel anxiety said that most people do not display their anxiety.
Rather, they do things like stare out the window the whole time, sleep, drink alcohol, and more.
The Hill references a poll from CBS News and YouGov that found that just 41% of Americans had no fear of flying in an airplane.
Lisa Hauptner works with a fear-of-flying program called SOAR. Early in her life, she was not afraid of flying, but that suddenly changed. Hauptner recounts,
“I reached a point where the anticipation of my next business trip resulted in an Amtrak from New York to Tampa. It’s a long, horrible ride. When I got back, I realized I had to do something.”
A recent Reddit thread titled Ritual of touching the fuselage during boarding has several answers. Here is a snapshot of some of the most popular responses:
- “I touch the skin of the plane as I'm boarding purely out of superstition.”
- “Samesies. Usually about 30min after the Xanax, that I also take for good luck.”
- “I draw a little cross with my finger real quick on the fuselage before I step into the plane. I also say a quick prayer to please keep us safe.”
Some answers are a bit more extreme:
- “If I don't do this, the plane will crash,”
- “I always knock on the fuselage. Only time I forgot to do it the plane was grounded for maintenance issues so now it’s a must.”
According to Brian Morris, who created Flight Deck: Fear of Flying Flash Cards, he used to be afraid of flying.
“It was a habit that brought me a sense of comfort, as if I was establishing a connection with the plane and asking for its protection. It’s funny how our minds work; I thought that this little act somehow warded off danger, even though, deep down, I knew it was just a superstition.”
This ritual is nothing new. A post on airliners.net from 20 years ago has several comments:
- “And add me to the list for people who pat the plane before boarding. For reasons I cannot explain, patting the plane is like saying "Hello old girl, get me to my destination safely!"
- "I sometimes get odd looks from people behind me when I perform this ritual!”
On the Reddit thread, a user recounted their father’s experience in World War II. The father was a commander of the B-17 Flying Fortress and tapped the plane before bombing targets on 25 missions.
In addition to feeling afraid, some find comfort in feeling that the plane is solid. Janet Daniels-Thomas wrote on a blog post on Medium that she touches planes to be reminded of their solidity.
Daniels-Thomas recounts that one time she was on a plane that almost crashed and said she also touches the plane because she knows that with every trip there is a chance she does not come back.
It also reminds her of her father who used to love spending holidays abroad, but has passed away.
The Reddit thread has several people that say touching a plane is almost like petting a dog and telling it “good boy”.
- “Yep, I give an aircraft a little Hello pat as I get on, and a Thanks as I get out. Funny, only do it with commercial aircraft. If I’m flying GA, it doesn’t cross my mind.”
- “Me too! I say to myself, "hi, plane" when I get on and "thank you, plane" when I get off.”
Some airline personnel also chimed in, with a ramp agent saying that they pat every plane they push out from a gate. It is like reassuring a puppy they are good. Someone else said it’s like telling the plane to keep up the good work, like rubbing the top of a dog’s head.
“For luck and to say hello to this crazy flying machine…”
“As i enter the door i always give the skin a couple of "strokes" to calm / make friends with the plane (like a dog) and then getting off i give the doorframe skin a couple of "pats" like a little "well done" / thank you. Don't ask me why or when I started doing it, but I do it every time.”
Another user works in aerospace and wrote they do the same thing. They do not know why as they trust the way planes are built, but they do it anyway.
One said that instead of tapping, they slap the plane and say, “Thank you, plane.” Others on the thread just decided to be funny. Several said they throw pennies into the engines for good luck, while a pilot said they leave hardware outside the plane in full view of passengers to scare them.
