With long lines and other disruptions, air travel anxiety isn't just about a fear of flying

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The list of reasons why air travel can be stressful has grown as long as the security lines at some U.S. airports.

Back-to-back winter storms. The Iran war. Government shutdowns. A fatal runway collision between a jet and a fire truck. All have disrupted airline travel in recent months. Add in the usual hassles like seat selection and baggage fees, overbooked flights and takeoff delays, and even frequent flyers may be thinking twice about booking trips that require boarding a commercial airplane.

Crowded airport checkpoints due to a funding standoff on Capitol Hill, and President Donald Trump's decision to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and agents to help with airport security, were top of mind for many passengers on Monday.

John Hoffman was back at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans for the second day in a row after missing his flight to Spokane, Washington, a day earlier due to 4-hour-long wait times to get through security. The lines moved more quickly with federal immigration officers supplementing Transportation Security Administration staff, but Hoffman questioned whether it was worth the expense.

“The lines are shorter today,” Hoffman said. “But in my mind, we can fund TSA a lot less expensive than we can send ICE here, put them up in hotels and all the things that go along with that.”

At Reagan Washington National Airport, college student JD Foster only waited for about 10 minutes in the security line Monday morning but still ended up missing an important appointment and losing a $500 deposit after his flight to Boston was repeatedly delayed.

“They just kept saying ‘it’ll be a little bit longer’ every 15 minutes until they admitted it was a part malfunctioning and they switched planes,” Foster said in an email. “I would have had enough time to get an earlier flight if they would have been honest about the delay.”

Despite such problems, the head of a trade association for the airline industry says travelers should be “getting excited” for summer vacation trips.

“The issues we’re dealing with today are truly temporary,” Chris Sununu, former governor of New Hampshire and president and CEO of Airlines for America, said in a phone interview. “People should know that solutions are being presented, and I think we think there are some solid long-term fixes and even some short-term fixes here, so people should feel confident buying in.”

But air travel is inherently anxiety provoking for many people, and the recent constellation of stressors only adds to that, said Dr. Michael Ziffra, a psychiatrist and associate professor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. But while nothing may completely eliminate the anxiety and aggravation, he recommends several ways to mitigate it.

First, go into it with a sense of adventure, or at least acceptance, he said.

“You’re gonna get delays, you’re gonna get complications, you might get long lines,” he said. “So just try to somehow be at peace with the fact that air travel can be inherently unpredictable.”

Preparation — confirming flight information and wait times — can help, but it’s counterproductive to try to prepare for every possible scenario, he said. Instead, travelers should arm themselves with enjoyable snacks, movies and music while avoiding things like alcohol, medication or online rants that could end up worsening their mood.

“The best thing people can do is really avoid anything that might be exacerbating the negative feelings,” he said. “People should take care of themselves and do their best to enjoy whatever travel they're doing.”

For Dr. Zaid Fadul, a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon and physician, it's all about staying grounded mentally before taking off physically.

“I always tell people, all's fair in love and travel. Delays are normal, it's a part of life, and you have to find ways to really reground yourself," said Fadul, CEO of Bespoke Concierge MD.

That means focusing on what you can control, like your breathing, he said. He recommends deep breathing exercises, or something as simple as focusing on the sensation of pressing your feet onto the floor. He practiced another favorite technique the weekend when bringing his son to the airport, tempering his frustration with the long lines by expressing gratitude to a TSA agent.

“She lit up,” he said. “Just seeing her response made me feel a little better, and it made it less about me.”

Fadul said he challenges others to consider what they can do to make travel “a little less annoying.”

“Those little acts of kindness can really land,” he said.

Associated Press reporters Stephen Smith in New Orleans and Russ Bynam in Savannah, Georgia, contributed.