World’s most experienced pilot explains the worst time of day to fly

An experienced pilot has revealed the worst time of day to fly - so if you're a bit of a nervous flier and would like to avoid a ‘bumpier’ journey, then this could be helpful.

While you may think that there’s little you can do to make a difference to how pleasant - or unpleasant - your plane journey is, there are actually several little tips you can try to give yourself the best possible chance and you’ll be pleased to know most of them are pretty easy.

A group of pilots shared their insider knowledge and secrets with Reader’s Digest back in 2020 and it turns out that numerous things, such as the time of day you fly and where you choose to sit can all have an impact.

Los Angeles based airline pilot Jerry Johnson, reckons there's a time of day that tends to involve a less bumpy ride.

He said: "If you're a nervous flyer, book a morning flight.

"The heating of the ground later causes bumpier air, and it's much more likely to thunderstorm in the afternoon."

Another unnamed pilot also suggested that people should sit in the back if they always feel cold.

The tech pilot, who works at a regional airline in Texas, said: "The general flow of air in any airplane is from front to back. So if you're really concerned about breathing the freshest possible air or not getting too hot, sit as close to the front as you can. "Planes are generally warmest in the back."

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As for the smoothest place to sit? That's apparently often over or near the wing.

Pilot Patrick Smith said: "The bumpiest place to sit is in the back. A plane is like a seesaw. If you're in the middle, you don't move as much."

Smith also explained that turbulence isn't dangerous, despite how scary it can seem - admitting that pilots only really try and avoid it because it can be 'annoying' to fly through.

He said: "Pilots find it perplexing that so many people are afraid of turbulence. It's all but impossible for turbulence to cause a crash. We avoid turbulence not because we're afraid the wing is going to fall off but because it's annoying."

Last year, another pilot told LADbible that the best spot on a plane also comes down to 'common sense', agreeing with Smith by saying that the middle is a good place to be.

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Nick Eades - who is the world's most experienced Boeing 747 pilot - explained that there isn't necessarily a 'safest' place to sit, but that you can put yourself in a 'good position'.

He said: "Sitting at the front of the plane is as safe as sitting at the back, and vice versa."

Eades continued: "Always offer to sit by the emergency exits because - as long as you're able-bodied - I think probably the best seats are the ones closest to the exits.

"Then if there is an abandoned take-off [or] there is catastrophic failure, you can either help people out or be the first to get out of the aeroplane yourself. You're in a very good position.

"It's common sense, if you think about it."