Celebrities have busy schedules that take them all over the world constantly and frequently. But some of them are so averse to flying in airplanes that they refuse to do it, instead preferring to get to their destination by train, boat, or bus.
You’d be surprised to hear some of the famous folks throughout recent history who avoided airplanes. They range from Hollywood’s most macho actors to literature’s most egg-headed rationalists.
Maybe you’re not the biggest fan of planes and want to feel like you’re in good company. Or maybe you’re jealous of celebrities and want to jeer at their shortcomings. Either way, you’ll like this list of well-known people who won’t get on a plane no matter what.
1
Wes Anderson
Despite having to travel to all sorts of locales to make his movies, Wes Anderson has an intense phobia of flying. He says the only way he can board an airplane is if he is drugged.
2
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov, prolific and renowned science fiction author, had an intense fear of flying. He reportedly only flew in an airplane twice in his life, and when he needed to travel to Europe he would do it by ocean liner.
3
Shemp Howard
Shemp Howard, one of the original Three Stooges, reportedly refused to fly in airplanes. When the Three Stooges toured the country, which they did constantly, it was by train.
4
John Madden
Football commentator John Madden hated flying. He had a bus called the Madden Cruiser that he used to travel to where he needed to go.
5
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman gave up being the bassist for the Rolling Stones partially because he gave up flying in 1990. He even wrote a song called Fear of Flying in 1992.
6
Kate Bush
Though it’s never been fully confirmed, many fans have speculated that the reason that Kate Bush doesn’t tour very much is in part due to a fear of flying or an inner ear problem that makes high altitudes painful.
7
Stanley Kubrick
Another film director with a fear of flying, Stanley Kubrick refused to take trips by plane later in his life, even despite once holding a pilot’s license. This was reportedly because of his deep concern about aviation safety.
8
Lars von Trier
The Danish film director suffers from a debilitating fear of flying. This phobia affects his career, preventing him from getting to many filming locations, or from ever visiting the United States.
9
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg developed a fear of flying after witnessing a mid-air collision in San Diego. She travels from New York to Los Angeles and back in a private bus, which takes 23 hours and two drivers.
10
Ben Affleck
Though for some an aversion to airplanes might be irrational, it’s definitely not for Ben Affleck. When he was nine years old, he was flying to Washington, DC by himself when the plane was struck by lightning and caught on fire. I wouldn’t want to fly after that either!
11
DJ Khaled
DJ Khaled was so paranoid about flying that he refused to board a plane for over a decade, traveling instead by tour bus. After his son was born, he faced his fear and started flying again, claiming he “immediately became fearless.”
12
Travis Barker
The Blink-182 drummer avoided flying for over a decade after surviving a plane crash that killed four people and left him covered in third-degree burns.
13
Howard Stern
Howard Stern does not like flying and even discourages other people from flying. He takes a plane when he needs to get to the West Coast but strongly avoids it otherwise.
14
Jennifer Connelly
Despite recently starring in Top Gun: Maverick, Jennifer Connelly has admitted that she is terrified of flying and does not do well on planes at all. We assume she’s talking about commercial or private flights, rather than fighter jets.
15
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston admitted in an interview that she’s always had a fear of flying, and even drinking doesn’t help. Her ex-husband Justin Theroux reportedly helped her work on her fear.
16
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin avoided traveling to certain cities because of her phobia of flying. The travel to those places would have been too difficult due to her strong dislike of airplanes.
17
Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell has one of the more intense hatreds of flying of any celebrity. He’s called airplanes ‘unnatural’ and says that he used to take pills to calm himself but now just avoids planes altogether.
