Whoopi Goldberg has overcome her fear of flying. The beloved entertainer’s transformation represents a significant personal victory after decades of aviation anxiety.
The 69-year-old star previously admitted she used to travel around the U.S. in a giant tour bus to avoid getting on a plane, but after it was noted she has been jetting to places including the Bahamas and Italy in recent times, the Sister Act star has found something to relax her nerves enough to board a flight. Flight anxiety affects millions of people worldwide, making Whoopi’s struggle deeply relatable to many travelers.
View this post on Instagram
“I’ve been so many places. I was in the cockpit of a plane,” speaking on “The View.” Goldberg’s co-hosts were shown a picture of her sitting at the control board of a commercial plane over the holiday weekend. Her comfort level in the cockpit demonstrates remarkable progress from her previous phobia.
“People keep saying, ‘So what’s happened? Now you seem to be able to fly?’ The truth of the matter is I hated, hated, hated, hated it, for so many reasons, and then someone gave me something that allowed me to fly, and so I take it, and I am okay, and I don’t cry!” Many people with flight phobias find success through various therapeutic approaches and medications designed to manage anxiety.
Goldberg previously told how part of her fear of flying was in part due to a man dying on a plane next to her. Such traumatic experiences can create lasting phobias that require professional intervention to overcome successfully.
“I’ve never been a good flier. A guy passed away next to me. This is not cute. And you don’t know exactly that they’re gone, because they just kind of slump, then he slumped onto me, and I’m like, ‘Get off me!'” she said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2005. Medical emergencies during flights are handled by trained professionals, though such incidents can be deeply traumatic for passengers.
“I called the stewardess and she said ‘Sir, sir!’ she kept patting him, and I said, ‘Just pick him up, just pull him off me!'” Flight attendants receive extensive training in emergency medical procedures and are equipped to handle various in-flight situations.
After touching the man, the flight attendant admitted she thought the man was dead, and Goldberg replied: “Okay, we have to alter this reality, you’ve got to get him out of here.” Airlines have specific protocols for handling medical emergencies and fatalities during flights, though these situations create challenging circumstances for everyone involved.
“Well, the plane is booked up, we have no place to put him!” But she claimed she was told. Commercial aircraft have limited space for handling such situations, creating difficult decisions for crew members during emergencies.
During the interview, Ellen admitted she was “flattered” her guest had made the lengthy trek from New York to Los Angeles by bus. Cross-country bus travel has become an alternative for celebrities and individuals seeking to avoid air travel.
“It’s kind of like a bus that Dolly Parton would be on, except there’s some strange stuff on it, you know? I’ve got all kinds of weird little things on the bus, toys, a flatscreen TV, a big bed, dirty sheets, it’s heaven,” Whoopi said. Luxury tour buses offer amenities that rival high-end hotels, providing comfortable long-distance travel options.
She noted the epic journey had taken her 43 hours. The cross-country bus trip from New York to Los Angeles covers thousands of miles, making her commitment to avoiding flights particularly remarkable and demonstrating the lengths she went to accommodate her phobia.
Whoopi‘s transformation from bus-dependent traveler to confident flyer demonstrates that even the most deeply rooted fears can be conquered with proper support and treatment. Her openness about the struggle has inspired countless fans facing similar challenges, showing that personal growth and healing are possible at any stage of life.
