Amid thousands of IndiGo flight cancellations, Karan Johar took to Instagram to share his struggles with travel anxiety. From arriving at the airport ridiculously early to obsessively checking his passport and boarding pass, the filmmaker shared the various ways anxiety affects him before and during flights.
"I Have A Desperate Need To Reach The Airport Early," Shares Karan Johar
In a post shared on Instagram, Karan wrote, "So disclaimer: not that it matters, you are free to troll me…. What I am about to write may be considered a champagne problem… but I do feel many will resonate….. Raise your hands if you have travel anxiety! First, I have a desperate need to reach the airport early (sometimes even before the ground staff have arrived), then in the lounge I check my passport and my boarding card 50 times. And once I am seated, I wait for the pilot to announce the duration of the flight... As if my life depends on it."
The filmmaker revealed that he anxiously awaits the pilot's announcement about the flight route's weather conditions, feeling a wave of relief if it's going to be a "smooth ride," but remaining on edge for the entire flight if the pilot mentions “few bumps on the way.”
"I Pop A Pill And Pray For Sleep," Writes Karan Johar
He continued, "Then I check the map every 10 minutes on a short-haul flight. On a long-haul flight, I pop a pill and pray for sleep (subconscious mind is always turbulence aware). Then I feel the desperate urge to be hugely polite to the cabin crew ( In case of an emergency, they will be kind to the kind), so I smile like a Colgate ad! And say thank you at every given point of time."
That's not all. As the flight prepares to land, Karan Johar gets ready to disembark, eager to exit the plane quickly. "I rush out and want to overtake every passenger like it's a limboo race….( no particular reason at all) …. Ok, that's all …. ( there are some packing idiosyncrasies but that's for another post) … #traveltrauma," he concluded.
What Is IndiGo Crisis?
Indians have been struggling to travel via flight, especially if they have booked IndiGo in the past few days. Since Friday, December 5, 2025, the airline has cancelled more than 2,000 flights, leaving travellers stranded at the airport. This mass cancellation has led to a massive public outcry, and the government had to step in.
Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu blamed IndiGo for “mismanagement regarding their crew”.
On Saturday, India's aviation watchdog, the DGCA, sent a letter to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers that read, "You have failed in your duty to ensure timely arrangements for conduct of reliable operations,” Reuters reported.
The latest development in the times of crisis is a sigh of relief for passengers. IndiGo has credited ticket refunds worth Rs 610 crore. This comes in after the airline promised to give a full waiver on cancellations and reschedule requests for bookings till December 15.
What Is Travel Anxiety and How Does It Manifest?
Travel anxiety, as described by Healthline, is the feeling of worry, fear or unease related to travelling. It stems from the unknown, unfamiliar places or planning stress, leading to symptoms like rapid heart rate, nausea, restlessness, or trouble sleeping. Common triggers include fear of flying, lack of control, bad past experiences or general unfamiliarity, but it's manageable with planning, relaxation techniques, therapy, and lifestyle changes.
Travel anxiety manifests through a range of physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms stemming from the body's "fight-or-flight" response to the perceived threat of travel. Physical symptoms result from the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which prepare the body for action. The mental experience of travel anxiety often involves persistent worry and difficulty with emotional regulation.
Also Read | Before IndiGo Took Over, 9 Airlines That Vanished From Indian Skies In The Last 25 Years
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