Actress PENELOPE CRUZ is still trying to come to terms with an irrational fear of flying after her life flashed before her eyes when one plane she was a passenger on had to make an emergency landing.

The Spanish star and her pals Salma Hayek and Daya Fernandez were en route to the set of movie Bandidas on Halloween (31Oct) in 2004, dressed up as clowns, when their plane suddenly dropped 15,000 feet (4,572 metres).

And now, as well as hating the sight of clowns, Cruz admits she has become the most superstitious flyer.

She explains, "It really marked our lives because we didn't know if we were gonna make it and from that moment I became a little bit scared of flying.

"I have my rituals... When I get on a plane I get in and then out and then in again... I'm very superstitious... There is no logic.

"I was much worse... I'm proud I've become better."

06/16/2012 3:50