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Friday the 13th is here again! While most see it as just another day, others see it as a day to be careful. From avoiding travel to canceling plans, the fear of this date is rooted in modern superstition. But why is Friday the 13th so infamous? Is today really so unlucky?
Ever noticed that some buildings skip from the 12th floor to the 14th? It’s no accident—many hotels and skyscrapers omit the 13th floor due to superstition. It’s estimated that up to 85% of elevator panels in U.S. hotels avoid this number entirely. It seems the thought of staying on the 13th floor is enough to unsettle us.
In addition to hotels, frequent flyers may notice something strange at airports—there’s often no Gate 13. At my hometown airport in Sarasota, it’s skipped entirely! Some airlines, like Air France and Ryanair, also avoid Row 13 on their planes. While superstitions might seem like small potatoes, they’re taken seriously when it comes to travel.
Even without the unlucky gate or row, flying on Friday the 13th still freaks out some travelers. There’s a noticeable dip in flight bookings, and some people won’t fly at all. For some, taking to the skies on this day is simply tempting fate.
But where did this come from? From my generation, we can point to the 1980 movie Friday the 13th and subsequent sequels. The movie franchise has fueled the fear associated with the date.
Some may look to biblical times, with most scholars saying that Jesus was crucified on a Friday and that there were 13 guests at the Last Supper with the betrayer, Judas, being the 13th.
The mass arrest of the Knights Templar occurred on Friday, October 13, 1307, by order of King Philip IV of France during the Crusades. Rather than repay his debt to the Templars, Philip sought to eliminate the order by seizing their assets and accusing them of an array of crimes. The day is marked by betrayal and violence. Many were tortured into giving false confessions and several members were executed by burning at the stake.
But the date isn’t as rare as you’d think, it can happen up to three times in the same year and usually occurs at least once a calendar year.
It’s quite a mouthful, but paraskevidekatriaphobia is the actual name for the fear of Friday the 13th. For those who suffer from it, the day causes some serious anxiety. Businesses feel it too, losing up to $900 million every time this day rolls around due to cancellations and people staying home.
Superstition, it seems, has a price.
