Flying and emotion

[00:00.39] I’ll let you into a secret. There’s a place that gets me every time: whenever I’m there, I can’t help but well up.

[00:08.89] Where is this tear-inducing location?

[00:11.54] It’s thousands of metres high in the sky, in the cabin of an aeroplane.

[00:15.53] Especially when there’s a trashy romantic comedy on.

[00:19.51] Why am I admitting this now? Because apparently, I’m not alone.

[00:23.50] English crooner Ed Sheeran confesses to getting all emotional when flying too.

[00:28.28] And get this: a survey carried out by Gatwick Airport in London found that 15% of men confess they’re more likely to cry during films in planes than watching at home.

[00:38.90] And 41% of men owned up to burying themselves in the blankets to hide their tears in a separate survey by Virgin Atlantic.

[00:47.67] In all, 55% of air travellers in the Virgin study claimed they experience heightened emotions when flying.

[00:54.84] So, what’s going on? How does air travel tap into our hidden emotions?

[00:59.89] A study from the Netherlands has shown adults cry due to feelings of separation, loneliness or powerlessness.

[01:07.33] All of these are easily experienced when flying: you’re far from family, often alone, and have no control over the aircraft’s flight.

[01:15.56] Another theory relates to the lack of distraction.

[01:18.75] When you’re strapped into your seat in a sealed cabin in the sky, there’s not a lot you can do.

[01:23.80] So we are able to invest ourselves more fully into the movies we watch.

[01:28.31] Then there’s the physical space.

[01:30.43] Air pressure and oxygen levels are lower, and this can affect our mental state. Conditions in an aeroplane resemble those at an altitude of 2,400m.

[01:40.26] The reduced oxygen at this height can affect the brain.

[01:43.45] According to a study by the US Institute of Medicine: “the initial mood experienced at altitude is euphoria, followed by depression.”

[01:51.42] And what about the movies themselves?

[01:53.81] Virgin say top culprits include tearjerkers such as Billy Elliot, Eat Pray Love and, at number one position, Toy Story 3.

[02:02.84] Their emotional firepower even caused the aeroplane to slap tongue-in-cheek “emotional health warnings” on select movies back in 2011.

[02:12.40] Virgin Atlantic film critic Jason Solomons said at the time, "On a flight, we're isolated, leaving loved ones or aching to be reunited with them.

[02:21.17] We're nervous, we're tired, we might have had a drink at a time we usually wouldn't, and if we see an image, a scene that reflects our emotional state, frankly we're suckers. Flying and films is a heady cocktail.