Is “Jello Theory” the Solution to Flight Anxiety?

Students react to the Jello Theory as a way to cure flight anxiety. Photo by peapodsquadmom via Flickr

Spring break is just around the corner, and so are travel plans for undergrads and professors alike. However, recent events, such as commercial airplane crashes in Washington D.C. and Toronto, may affect how they arrive at their destinations. 

A mid-air collision occurred between an American Airlines flight and a US Army helicopter on Jan. 29. This crash above the Potomac River was the nation’s most fatal in over 20 years. Less than three weeks later, on Feb. 18, Delta Airlines Flight 4819 made an upside-down landing in Ontario’s capital. All 80 passengers on board survived, some with reported injuries.

To help with the uncertainty surrounding air travel, TikTok star Anna Paul introduced the “Jello Theory” to her fanbase. Given how unnerving it is to feel turbulence during a flight, she shared a pilot’s explanation of how it cannot take an aircraft out of the sky. 

The theory explains that an aircraft is surrounded by pressure. Much like if you submerged an object in Jello, shaking the Jello would not be enough to release this pressure and make the object drop out of the atmosphere.

An estimated 25 million Americans suffer from the fear of flight. Though historical studies have found turbulence has not been the sole cause of any crash, pilots typically avoid turbulence to put passengers at ease. Still, the news of tragedies is anything but reassuring for those planning faraway vacations.

With all of this in mind, Red Foxes did not seem deterred from flight. Marist University students shared their plans for spring break and opinions on the media coverage following these accidents.

“You assume that same risk every time you step in a car,” said Jack Kadleck ‘25. “I think we hear more about plane crashes given the amount of passengers on a flight.”

Sarah Catizone ‘26 experiences flight anxiety, but not due to anything the Jello Theory could solve. She spoke about the role air traffic control played in the tragedy this past January.

“The root of that crash didn’t seem to be turbulence or malfunctions,” said Catizone. “You’re more likely to survive [in] a plane that hits the ground than a mid-air collision.”

Catizone will not be flying over the break, but these crashes did not influence her decision. She explained that her recent flight anxiety would not prevent future travel plans, even with the news cycle feeling overwhelming.

“I live close to JFK and Newark Airport,” Catizone said. “Thousands of people fly out every day, and that brings me some comfort.”

Several students expressed not having any flight anxiety and felt no change following the Potomac River and Toronto crashes. Katie Smith ‘25 is en route to Florida this spring break and spoke about flying to Europe with her travel agent grandfather as a child.

“I was nervous when I was younger, but my parents were well-traveled. I trusted them,” Smith said. “The worst I ever experienced was some turbulence.” She had recently heard of Jello Theory, which helped ease that slight discomfort.

Kadleck is another student traveling home for spring break, but he isn’t sweating the idea of taking flight any time soon.

“I don’t have more anxiety about flying than I do anything else,” Kadleck said. “I don’t like my capping course either, but it’s not something to be distraught about.”