Flying is Safer Now: Death Risk Halved in 10 Years

A recent study highlights a remarkable enhancement in commercial flight safety, revealing that the risk of dying in an air travel incident has halved over the past decade. The research indicates that from 2018 to 2022, the likelihood of a fatality was just one in 13.7 million passenger boardings globally, a stark contrast to the one in 7.9 million risk observed from 2009 to 2017. This improvement is even more pronounced when compared to the 1968-1977 period, which recorded a fatality risk of one in 350,000 boardings. The findings come amid heightened scrutiny of flight safety, particularly following an incident involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9, which led to the grounding of all 171 MAX 9 jets by the FAA. Despite recent concerns, including near-collisions on runways, MIT professor Arnold Barnett, a co-author of the study, emphasized that aviation safety continues to improve, with the chance of dying during a flight decreasing by approximately seven percent annually. While the study underscores the overall safety of flying, it acknowledges ongoing challenges within the industry, particularly for manufacturers like Boeing, which has faced reputational issues in 2024. The company’s CEO and chair have announced their impending departures amid these challenges. Notably, Ryanair has emerged as the safest airline globally, operating solely Boeing 737 aircraft without any fatal accidents. The research also points out disparities in flight safety standards across countries, with the United States and EU nations leading in safety measures, while others are still working to enhance their aviation safety protocols.