A fatal air collision involving a commercial plane and an army helicopter. Multiple crashes in different countries. The plane sets on fire and flips it upside down.
Over the past two months, commercial air travel around the world has been shaken by more than half a dozen unusual accidents that have raised concerns about the state of aviation safety. And in the US, this is amidst an astonishing number of close mistakes and ongoing concerns about proper air traffic control staff.
With each incident, video footage instantly circulates widely online, traumatizing more travelers. They say the recent airplane incident has amplified flight anxiety. Jaimee Rindy, 28, who lives in Atlanta, said he could fly a few years ago. This sentiment has become even more intense over the last few months, she said.
“It's hard to feel safe when you're completely out of control and when you're not really aware of what's going on while you're on the plane,” Lindy said. “In the end, that's the most frightening part of being a passenger: a loss of trust in the industry.”
Will flight be even more dangerous? And if anything, what can passengers actually do to keep them safer in emergencies? I consulted several experts for more details.
Recent incidents still under investigation span different countries and airplane types.
Over the past two months, fatal clashes have occurred in South Korea, the US and Azerbaijan. In the US, some cases involved commercial planes, while others were on smaller private planes subject to stricter safety requirements. Of all aircraft, large commercial planes are required to meet the strictest safety regulations.
Not all of the incidents were fatal. All 80 people survived on a Delta Line flight that crashed at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday afternoon, whether the plane was turned upside down on a tarmac or after its right wing and tail were peeled off.
Jeff Gutzetti, former Agencies Investigator for the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Traffic Safety Commission, has concluded a recent accident related to a US carrier, including an airborne collision at Reagan National Airport on January 29th. He said it is too early to judge factors. On February 6th, 10 commuter aircraft crashed in Alaska. He said “number of issues” were involved, including weather and FAA policies.
Flying remains the safest mode of transport.
Experts emphasized that flight is the safest form of travel.
Arnold Barnett, professor of statistics at MIT Sloan Management School, said the risk of dying in flight is near zero. He said the recent famous accident was a coincidence.
“On average, 10 million people are carrying planes every day,” Burnett added. “It goes without saying that the overwhelming majority of days were injured rather than a single passenger, not to mention killed.”
According to the National Safety Council, the lifetime chance of dying in a car accident is about 1 in 1995.
However, recent accidents should encourage careful analysis and vigilance of “potential defects in the system,” Gutsetti said. The DC collision has been the most fatal accident that has occurred for a US airline for over a decade.
Whether commercial aviation is deteriorating safety may need to be considered, says Kyra Dempsey, who writes about aviation accidents on his blog. She added that FAA cuts are a factor to monitor.
Most important safety tips? Always wear a seat belt.
Experts recommend wearing a safety belt throughout your flight. Hearing the safety briefings delivered by flight attendants is another important precaution, said Sarah Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Crews, representing nearly 55,000 flight attendants on 20 Airlines.
Flight attendants train each year in emergency response procedures, Nelson added. This includes everything from handling unruly passengers to evacuating water from fires inside the cabin.
There may really be no safer part of an airplane.
John Cox, a former airline pilot who runs a safety consulting firm, said the study was inconclusive as to whether there is the safest section of the plane. Some travelers believe it is their back because of the way they absorb energy during the crash and minimize passenger injuries, but Cox and Gusetti have dismissed the concept.
“It just depends on the dynamics of the crash,” Cox said. “Don't worry about where you're sitting.”
Travelers cannot predict what kind of accidents they may have. But to avoid turbulence, Cox recommends sitting “in the middle of the wings.”
Consider buying a seat for your child and placing it in your car seat.
Many airlines generally allow parents to hold children under the age of 2 on a wrap instead of purchasing a seat for their children. However, both the FAA and the NTSB recommend opposing this practice and instead encourage parents to use approved child restraint systems. A 2019 study by the National Institutes of Health found that children with unconfined knees can popped out of their parents' arms in emergencies, and can popped out of their arms in emergencies such as severe turbulence.
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