Concerns regarding flight safety have surged following a series of recent aviation tragedies and near-misses.


The midair crash that resulted in 67 fatalities near Washington, a catastrophic plane incident in Philadelphia, and an Alaskan crash that claimed ten lives are among the most notable incidents. Additionally, a Japan Airlines aircraft grazed a parked Delta plane while taxiing at Seattle Airport earlier this week, and a United Airlines flight caught fire during takeoff in Houston due to an engine malfunction.


Moreover, incidents involving security have also arisen, such as stowaways being discovered dead in the wheel wells of two planes, as well as aboard two other flights. A particularly alarming event occurred when a passenger opened an emergency exit door while a plane was taxiing in Boston.


These occurrences have understandably led to heightened anxiety about flight safety among travelers.


What transpired in these grave accidents?


On January 29, an American Airlines passenger jet collided with an Army helicopter, resulting in the death of everyone on both aircraft. This was marked as the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. since November 12, 2001, when a plane crashed shortly after taking off in New York City, killing all 260 passengers and five individuals on the ground. Prior to this incident, there hadn’t been a deadly crash involving a U.S. airline since February 2009.


Incidents more frequently involve smaller aircraft, like the Cessna that went down in Alaska last Thursday, ending in the loss of ten lives.


A medical transport plane crashed in Philadelphia on January 31, killing all six people aboard and a resident on the ground. This crash of a Learjet created a large fireball when it hit a neighborhood shortly after takeoff from a nearby small airport.


How concerned should travelers be?


Fatal aviation accidents garners a lot of attention largely due to their rarity. The safety record of U.S. airlines is notably strong, evidenced by the lengthy period between fatal mishaps.


However, lethal crashes have recurred more recently elsewhere, such as a December incident in South Korea that claimed all 179 lives on board. Boeing’s troubled 737 Max jet also experienced two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019. Furthermore, in January, a door plug dislodged from a 737 Max mid-flight, raising further safety concerns about the aircraft.


Federal officials have repeatedly expressed alarm about an overwhelmed and under-resourced air traffic control system, particularly after a series of near-collisions at U.S. airports. They attribute staffing shortages to factors such as inadequate compensation, grueling shifts, demanding training, and enforced retirements.


President Trump exacerbated these concerns recently by attributing the midair collision to the “outdated” air traffic control system, vowing to replace it.


Despite these issues, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reassured the public during a Fox News interview that air travel remains significantly safer “than traveling in a car and train,” emphasizing its status as the safest form of transportation.


Statistics support his claim, with the National Safety Council estimating that individuals have a 1-in-93 chance of dying in a vehicular accident, while fatalities from air travel occur so infrequently that calculating the odds is virtually impossible. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s figures align with this perspective as well.


What measures are underway?


Both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are currently investigating these recent crashes and near-misses to uncover the causes and explore prevention strategies.


While disturbing discoveries have already emerged from the midair collision investigation, it will take more than a year to compile a comprehensive report on the incident. The NTSB routinely makes recommendations aimed at preventing further accidents, but many past suggestions remain unaddressed by relevant government agencies and the aviation industry.


Secretary Duffy acknowledged that the public is justified in finding such crashes unacceptable, which is why he intends to prioritize safety as he oversees the agency responsible for regulating all transportation forms.


“I am confident about our current position and future plans, which include making the system even safer and more efficient than it is now,” Duffy stated in his Fox interview.