Travelers are considering more than just airfare and flight times when booking flights; they are now scrutinizing the aircraft itself. According to a June survey by Quantum Metric, one in five travelers is researching the planes they may fly on, while 22% are limiting air travel for the rest of the year. The survey, which reflects changes in booking habits due to increased media coverage of aircraft issues, revealed that 55% of travelers have altered their booking methods. Although Boeing wasn’t mentioned, its recent quality control issues, such as the Alaska Airlines incident on Jan. 5, 2024, have kept the company in the spotlight.
Danielle Harvey of Quantum Metric notes that more travelers are researching to potentially avoid Boeing aircraft. Additionally, 13% of respondents are avoiding discount carriers for safety reasons, although aviation analyst Brendan Sobie argues that this is not necessarily logical.
Despite concerns, commercial flight safety has improved markedly over the past decades. A study co-authored by MIT’s Arnold Barnett shows a significant drop in the risk of death on commercial flights, declining from one death per 350,000 boardings in the 1970s to one per 13.7 million between 2018-2022. Technological advances and stringent safety regulations have contributed to this improvement.
However, geographical disparities in safety persist, with Tier 3 countries facing higher fatality risks. Still, even in these regions, fatality rates have nearly halved in recent years. Barnett remains optimistic about future aviation safety, citing effective pilot responses in emergencies as a reassuring factor.
Avoiding Boeing aircraft is challenging due to the company’s dominance alongside Airbus in manufacturing large passenger planes. Platforms like Kayak and Alternative Airlines now offer filters to avoid specific aircraft, but this can be difficult for frequent flyers with airline loyalty. Changes in flight schedules can also complicate efforts to avoid certain aircraft types, as illustrated by one traveler’s experience having to switch to a Boeing 737 Max before departure.
Overall, travelers are more cautious about their aircraft choices, but aviation safety continues to improve, and avoiding certain aircraft remains a complex endeavor.
Original Story https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/02/fear-of-flying-a-new-mit-study-shows-flying-gets-safer-by-the-decade.html
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