Is triskaedekiphobia (fear of the number 13) the reason commercial planes normally do not have a row 13? When I first time heard this "legend" I couldn't believe it. I was really surprised, if not shocked, to actually find row 13 missing on my next passenger flight. (I believe it was a Boeing 737.) Is this really due to superstition about the 13th row? Was it so hard to push aircraft producers to renumber all other seat rows?

I know that people can be absurd about their superstitions. But realistically, the odds that a passenger airplane will crash are minimal. And should it really crash, chances that you'll survive due to being seated in row 12 or 14, as opposed to 13, must be below statistical error.

I find it very difficult to believe that people would choose not to fly simply due to superstition about being seated in row 13. Is there a more rational explanation?

EDIT (after Patrick's answer): I don't know, if I expressed myself enough clearly. I don't think, that people are dumb, because the're worried about number 13. I rather think, that thinking, that row 13 is unlucky, specifically on airplanes (where, in case case of crash all seats mostly are equally unlucky) is a bit weird.
Fear of number 13 is known as Triskaidekaphobia.

I randomly entered some flight numbers on SeatGuru and found that this one has row 13 (aircraft is B737):



In this case, there is no 13th row:



However, in this case, several row numbers (12, 13, 14) are skipped to adjust galleys and lavatories. This could be that they were added later or can be removed in future to add more rows.





The bottom line is that regardless of what you name it, there remains a 13th row. If a plane is about to crash (God forbid) I would be worried about being on the plane, rather than just the seat number. There are several studies that safest seats are in the back. So, rows 1-12 may not be as unlucky as row 13.

If you have 12 million dollars and I can give you one million more1, would you not take it?

In several parts of the world 13 is a lucky number.



1Trust me, I will not do it, even if I have that much money.