Virgin Atlantic has begun issuing "emotional health warnings" before some in-flight movies after a survey revealed that people are more likely to find themselves weeping when airborne.

Toy Story 3, Adam Sandler comedy Just Go With It and Reese Witherspoon/Robert Pattinson romance Water for Elephants are among the first films to receive the alerts, which will advise them to keep a box of tissues handy and make ready with the call button if they need a shoulder to cry on.

According to respondents to a survey on the airline's Facebook page, 41% of men said they had buried themselves in blankets to disguise their tears from other passengers. Women were more likely to pretend they had something in their eye. Overall, a 55% said they had experienced heightened emotions while flying, with travellers from Wolverhampton the most likely to join the "mile high blub club".

Toy Story 3 was the top in-flight tearjerker movie, while Brokeback Mountain and Clint Eastwood drama Gran Torino also made the top 10.

Observer film writer Jason Solomons, who also works for Virgin, said: "On a flight we're isolated, leaving loved ones or aching to be reunited with them. We're nervous, we're tired, we might have had a drink at a time we usually wouldn't. You don't really want to land with mascara running down your cheeks or bloodshot eyes but you can't help it."

The top 10 tearjerkers

1. Toy Story 3

2. The Blind Side

3. Eat Pray Love

4. My Sister's Keeper

5. Seven Pounds

6. Brokeback Mountain

7. The Notebook

8. Gran Torino

9. Invictus

10. Billy Elliot