Senate-approved bills aim to ease burden on pilots amid mental health ‘stigma’

Pilots and air traffic controllers in the US could soon have an easier time achieving a healthy mental altitude, a move with implications for the safety of air travel in America. The US Senate recently approved bills aimed at encouraging aviation professionals struggling with mental health conditions to seek treatment. The House and president must still approve the legislation, but if that happens, the law could help those with depression and anxiety who are reluctant to seek medical care due to fears it may jeopardize their high-pressure careers.

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“It starts breaking down the stigma and showing that when you raise your hand asking for help, it is no longer a third rail,” said Chris Finlayson, a pilot and executive director of the Pilot Mental Health Campaign.

A 2016 survey of more than 1,800 pilots found that almost 13% met the criteria for a depression diagnosis, and 4% reported having suicidal thoughts, according to a study published in the journal Environmental Health. Among European airline pilots, a quarter suffered from anxiety, and 40% displayed alcohol misuse, according to a 2025 report in the Frontiers in Public Health journal. Among US air traffic controllers, 19% struggled with moderate to severe anxiety, as stated in a 2025 report from the Collegiate Aviation Review International.

While many adults face these issues, pilots and air traffic controllers are less likely to seek care due to stigma and concerns that it could disqualify them from flying. In 2015, a Germanwings airline pilot, who had suffered from suicidal tendencies, deliberately crashed a plane into the French Alps, resulting in 150 deaths. Following this tragedy, US Senator Dianne Feinstein commissioned a report that found the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) ability to mitigate safety risks is limited by pilots’ reluctance to disclose mental health conditions.