Superstition In Aviation: Gate 13 And Airports

Many airports around the world do not have a gate 13. This is due to the superstitious belief that the number 13 is unlucky. The number 13 is considered unlucky because there were 13 people at Jesus' last supper, and Judas, the disciple who betrayed him, is believed to have been the 13th person seated. Another explanation relates to Norse mythology, where a 13th uninvited guest, the malicious god Loki, joined 12 gods during dinner and tricked the god Hoor into killing Baldr. This belief is called triskaidekaphobia.

Many airports don't have a Gate 13

Many airports around the world do not have a Gate 13. This is due to the superstitious belief that the number 13 is unlucky. The number 13 has long been associated with bad luck, with the fear of the number given the term 'triskaidekaphobia'. This belief is thought to originate from the fact that there were 13 people at the Last Supper of Jesus, with Judas, the disciple who betrayed him, believed to have been the 13th person to be seated. Another explanation relates to Norse mythology, where a 13th, uninvited guest joined 12 gods during dinner. This 13th guest was the malicious god Loki, who tricked the god Hoor into killing Baldr, leading to much mourning.

The practice of omitting the number 13 is not limited to airports. Many buildings, including hotels and offices, do not have a 13th floor. A Gallup poll from 2007 found that 13% of Americans would be bothered by staying in a room on the 13th floor. Some airlines also skip row 13 on their planes, with Iberia, Lufthansa, Air France, ITA, and Ryanair among those that do so.

The decision to omit Gate 13 may seem strange, especially considering that most processes on aircraft are well-thought-out for safety. However, it is a simple change that can make passengers feel more secure. If some believe that 13 is unlucky, they will not be comfortable being allocated a seat or gate with that number.

The absence of Gate 13 does not appear to be limited to a specific geographic region. For example, in the United States, Portland, Maine, Las Vegas, and Denver airports do not have a Gate 13. However, the presence or absence of Gate 13 can vary even within the same airport, with some concourses including it while others do not.

While some airports and airlines choose to omit Gate 13 or row 13, others do not follow this practice. For instance, the largest airport that skips Gate 13 is Denver, but Las Vegas, known for its association with gambling and luck, does have a Gate 13. Additionally, among UK airlines, only Virgin Atlantic skips row 13, while British Airways, easyJet, and Jet2.com do not.

It's due to the superstition that 13 is an unlucky number

Many airports do not have a Gate 13, and this is indeed due to the superstition that 13 is an unlucky number. This belief is called triskaidekaphobia, and it is a widespread phenomenon. Many buildings, for instance, do not have a 13th floor, and some hotels do not have a room 13 on any floor.

The number 13 is considered unlucky for several reasons. One explanation is that there were 13 people at the table for Jesus' Last Supper, and Judas, the disciple who betrayed him, was the 13th to be seated. Another explanation relates to Norse mythology, where a 13th uninvited guest, the malicious god Loki, joined 12 other gods during dinner. Loki tricked the god Hoor into killing Baldr, leading to much mourning.

The fear of the number 13 is not just limited to Western cultures. In some Asian countries, the number 4 is considered unlucky because its pronunciation in Chinese, 'si', is the same as the word for death. In Japan, the number 4 is also avoided as it is pronounced the same as the word for death in Japanese, 'shi'.

The airline industry is particularly susceptible to superstition. Many airlines skip row 13 on their planes, and some even avoid certain flight numbers. For example, American Airlines and Delta stopped using 191 as a flight number after various accidents involving that number. Some airlines also avoid using flight numbers with 911 or 666.

While it may seem strange to make decisions based on superstition, the airline industry is simply catering to the beliefs of its customers. Around 30% of US adults are at least somewhat superstitious, and it is easier to avoid the number 13 than deal with potentially anxious passengers.

Some notable examples of airports that skip Gate 13 include Denver (DEN), the largest airport that skips the gate, and Las Vegas (LAS), which is notable for being a city of gambling that avoids the unlucky number.

Airlines also often skip row 13

Airlines often skip row 13 due to the common superstition that the number 13 is unlucky. This belief is so widespread that it even has a name: triskaidekaphobia. While the origins of this superstition are unclear, several theories have been proposed. One theory suggests that the number's negative associations stem from the Biblical Last Supper, where Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was believed to be the 13th guest to arrive. Another theory points to Norse mythology, where the malicious god Loki was the 13th guest at a feast, bringing about death and destruction.

The fear of the number 13 is not limited to airlines. Many buildings, including hotels, skip the 13th floor, and some people avoid doing anything significant, like getting married, on the 13th day of the month. This superstition also extends to other numbers considered unlucky in different cultures. For example, some airlines skip row 17, which is associated with the Latin phrase "VIXI," meaning "my life is over," in Roman numerals. Similarly, row 14 is avoided on some flights to and from China, as its pronunciation is similar to the word for death in Mandarin.

By skipping row 13, airlines cater to the superstitious beliefs of their passengers and prevent potential seat swaps. It is a small change that can make a significant difference in customer satisfaction, especially considering that up to 40% of people experience some form of fear while flying.

While it may seem unusual to make such accommodations based on superstition, it ultimately comes down to providing passengers with a sense of security. After all, if some believe that 13 is an unlucky number, they will not feel comfortable sitting in that row.

Notable airlines that skip row 13 include Lufthansa, Air France, Ryanair, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and United Airlines, among others.

Some skip other 'unlucky' numbers, like 17 and 4

While the number 13 is widely considered unlucky, other numbers are also associated with bad luck in different cultures. In Italy, the number 17 is avoided because the Roman numeral for 17, XVII, can be rearranged to spell "VIXI", meaning "my life is over" in Latin. For this reason, Italian airlines may choose to omit row 17 from their planes, and buildings in Italy sometimes skip a 17th floor in the same way that many buildings around the world skip the 13th floor.

In China, the number 4 is considered unlucky because its pronunciation is similar to the Chinese word for death. As a result, many buildings in China skip the fourth floor, and the number is generally avoided in prices, house numbers, phone numbers, and other contexts. In Japan, the number 9 is similarly avoided because its pronunciation is similar to the Japanese word for torture or suffering.

The largest airport that skips Gate 13 is Denver

Many people consider the number 13 to be unlucky, and this superstition has had an impact on the design of airports and aeroplanes. Just as many buildings don't have a 13th floor, some airlines and airports skip the number 13 when numbering their gates.

Denver International Airport is located in Denver, Colorado, and serves as a major hub for travel across the United States and internationally. The airport covers a vast area and is known for its unique tent-like roof structures that are designed to withstand the area's frequent snowstorms.

The decision to skip Gate 13 at Denver International Airport is likely influenced by superstition. While it is not the only large airport to do so, it stands out as the largest. Other airports that skip Gate 13 include Portland, Maine, and Las Vegas, which is perhaps unsurprising given the association of Las Vegas with gambling and luck.

The superstition surrounding the number 13 extends beyond airports and can be seen in other contexts as well. For example, some airlines skip row 13 on their planes, and some people refuse to travel on the 13th of the month.

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