Are airplanes really safe ?

Coffee Drinker

In 2017 there were more than 4 Billion passengers who flew on commercial flights and there were only 44 fatalities. Yes, that's billion with a "B" meaning 4,000 million or 4,000,000,000 people. Of the 44 people killed in incidents involving commercial flights in 2017, NONE of them were on board passenger jets. They were either cargo planes, smaller prop planes, or people on the ground who were in the wrong place at the wrong time when a plane crashed. What I'm trying to do with these statistics is put your mind at ease. Your family members are FAR safer by flying to Las Vegas than they would be if the took a road trip and drove there.

champer

Aeroplanes are much safer than cars. I'm more likely to be involved in a crash on the way to the airfield than I ever have been in an aircraft. However, isn't the most important thing your sister's medical fitness? Surely the thing to do is take her to her doctor and explain. He/she will know her condition and be able to advise her accordingly.

cosmo

In order to have a 50% chance of being in a crash of a commercial airliner, you would have to fly every day for 20,000 years.

Otis

I would say any western airline is save, some third world ones are definitely not.

Mercury

Much safer that driving to the Airport.

AlCapone

At any point in time there are over 5000 planes in the air over the U.S. and many many more over the rest of the world. Here's a site where you can see them all, live: https://www.flightradar24.com/ . Considering that many planes in the air all day every day, how many crashes happen?

J

Nothing is totally safe. But, it is probably more dangerous to ride in a car.

KY-Clay

Does she feel safe riding in a car? If so, point out to her that she has a 1 in 114 chance of dying in a car crash, according to the National Safety Council. The odds of dying in air and space transport incidents, which include private flights and air taxis, are 1 in 9,821. That’s almost three times better chances than you meeting your fate by choking on food.

bali

Millions of people fly every single day. Airplanes are safe.

John R

Everyday there are more than 30,000 scheduled airline flights in the US. In the past 8 years, there have been only 2 fatal accidents, resulting in 2 deaths. That works out to 2 fatal accidents in more than 87,600,000 flights. The reason that airline accidents are big news is that they are so very, very, rare. As a result, an accident anywhere it the world is reported all over the world.

rob

They are safe unless you want to fly a gyrocopter in IMC conditions

Who

2017 - 37000 people killed on US roads (thats roughly 100 each day) - taking into account the number of people who traveled by car and the total distance traveled = just over 1 death for each 100 million passenger miles traveled (e.g 3 people travel by car for 1000 miles- thats 3000 passeger miles) 2015 - 400 killed in aircrashes (and there are an average 1 person killed for 2 aircrashes where nobody is killed) no idea how many people traveled by air that year- or the total distance traveled by all aircraft so cant calculate the number of deaths / passenger miles

SteveReno

yes they are really safe. odds are the airplane will NOT crash but the stress of being treated LIKE A TERRORIST CRIMINAL at check in should cause complete fear and even worse for those 'not ready for it' and take ALL THE FUN OUT OF FLYING. I say find another way to get there that does not involve getting on a commercial airplane. Do not fly in the USA if you have any mental problems. I last flew in 2008 and get all over the US without an airplane and have way more fun without a person asking me if I have something to blow up the airplane with me. Not all muslims are terrorists but most all terrorists are muslims. I am neither but at plane checkin all are treated as one.

Anonymous

They are REALLY REALLY safe, unless they crash

Mr. Interesting

Statistically, yes.

Richard D

They are very safe. It is being up in the air that is scary. Get someone to engage her in conversation during the takeoff which is the only physical part. That is assuming you don't get rough weather. But when she gets that far she may have a braver attitude.

Anonymous

Airplanes are relatively safe. The people in them and flying them or maintaining them are flying's weakest link. Think about that new Boeing jet that jettisoned recently. That was from a bad reaction to a bad sensor. Looks like the planes fault but it was poor training from the sellers to the airline owners.

Starrysky

"Cat crash" is rarely fatal, unless quite severe and you are the cat. Properly piloted aircraft are safer than automobiles, rated by passenger mile. But weather, poor training, poor maintenance, poor air traffic control could play a part. Only commercial bus and train travel is safer, and not a troublesome as the security delays at airports.