By Tyler Josephson
Doors falling off of airliners, private jets crashing on freeways … the general public may have concerns about the safety of air travel in today’s age.
Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft have been under concern of air travelers after a door was blown off a mid-air Alaskan Airlines flight on January 5. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is conducting an active investigation on the safety and quality of construction that Boeing takes to build aircraft, which led to a 19-day grounding of all 737-9 MAX planes.
News consumers have also been plastered with ‘close calls’ as busy airports come close to catastrophe. Is it still safe to fly today?
The US House of Representatives and Senate passed a $105 billion bill allowing more funding to add more air traffic controllers and aircraft inspectors, in hopes of preventing more aviation catastrophes from taking place. By doing so, current air traffic controllers won’t be overworked and more safety inspections can take place.
Air traffic controller health isn’t new to the spotlight. These employees work long shifts in a high-intensity, stressful environment, in which small mistakes lead to aircraft collisions and costly mistakes. The FAA recognizes the importance of controllers’ health, as stated by the Health and Safety Magazine.
So, is it safe to board a flight in 2024? The answer is yes. Statistically, under 7 of every 100,000 flight hours result in a plane crash, according to Panish Law. The quantity of plane crashes per year continues to prove a downtrend, in which air travel keeps getting safer. Nearly 80% of plane crashes are a result of human error, whether pilot or air traffic controller, but the FAA remains determined to tackle this flaw. Yes, it is safe to board a plane. No, it is not likely that you will crash.
