Recent headlines have understandably sparked anxiety among travelers. A plane landing upside down in Canada, mid-air collisions, and other aviation incidents have led even seasoned flyers to question: Is Flying Safe? This week, as many prepare to board flights, these concerns are amplified. Adding to the unease are reports of staffing issues at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and discussions around airline safety protocols. Are these isolated incidents, or do they signal a broader issue within the aviation industry?
To address these pressing questions, we turn to expert insights. Bill McGee, a seasoned airline industry veteran, licensed dispatch operator, and senior fellow for aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project, offers his perspective. McGee, who has spent years working within the airline industry and advocating for safety improvements, provides a balanced view on the current state of air travel safety.
“I think, yes, it is safe to fly,” McGee states reassuringly. “I fly myself. I’ll be flying again soon, in a couple of weeks. People I love are flying all the time.” He acknowledges the validity of public concern, adding, “I get it, and I get why people are concerned. I’m not dismissive of it, as I hear some others are.” Understanding the nuances behind recent events is crucial to accurately assess the safety of air travel.
Analyzing Recent Airline Incidents
The news cycle has been dominated by reports of several airline incidents, leading to a perception of increased risk. McGee clarifies the nature of these events, stating, “If we look at the three airline events…the mid air collision near DCA airport…Bering air, which…crashed into the water…and then the event in Toronto, where a delta connection flight landed very hard and very quickly and somersaulted over…when you look at that so far…what we are not seeing is a connection between these three.”
He emphasizes the importance of avoiding generalizations, drawing an analogy to car accidents. “If you suddenly heard in a month’s time of three different friends who were killed in car accidents…I don’t know that you would suddenly say, is it safe to drive? You know, what’s going on, right? It’s just sort of assumed that there were different causes.” Each aviation incident, like car accidents, often has unique contributing factors that require separate investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations are underway, and initial information suggests distinct circumstances for each event, without a clear common thread linking them.
The Broader Perspective on Aviation Safety
Taking a step back to examine the overall safety record of aviation provides crucial context. Commercial aviation remains statistically the safest mode of transportation. “Commercial aviation is the safest form of transportation. That is a statistical fact, and it has gotten safer through the decades,” McGee affirms.
He highlights the sheer volume of air traffic handled daily in the United States to illustrate the remarkable safety record. “At peak times today, any given day in the United States, there could be 5400 aircraft in the sky that the US Air Traffic Control Network under the FAA, is overseeing every day. There’s just short of 3 million passengers flying on airlines, about 2.9 million. That comes to like 10 million scheduled passenger flights every year.” Despite occasional service frustrations, the overwhelming majority of these flights operate without incident, delivering passengers safely to their destinations.
This impressive safety record is not accidental but is the result of continuous improvement and learning within the industry. McGee points out, “One of the reasons that it’s so safe is, unfortunately, there’s an expression that’s used in aviation where the regulations are written in blood.” This somber expression underscores that safety advancements often stem from learning from past tragedies. Engineering improvements, enhanced aircraft construction, and better emergency procedures have all contributed to making air travel safer over time.
The Toronto crash incident serves as a stark example of these advancements. Despite the aircraft losing both wings and flipping over, all passengers survived. McGee explains, “If under similar circumstances that had happened 30 years ago, there would have been fatalities instead of everyone getting out alive. Why? A couple of things. One is human factors. We learn more about how to evacuate planes…flight attendants…did a fantastic job. They got everybody out alive.” He rightly praises flight attendants as “the most under sung of all airline employees” for their critical role in ensuring passenger safety during emergencies. He also emphasizes the importance of passenger cooperation during evacuations, urging people to “leave your damn laptops and phones behind” to expedite the process and prioritize safety.
Concerns on the Horizon: FAA Oversight and Emerging Threats
While acknowledging the current safety of air travel, McGee raises important concerns about potential threats to this safety, particularly regarding FAA resources and oversight, and recent actions from the Trump administration.
He points to a long-standing issue of understaffing at the FAA, stretching back decades. “For more than four decades, since the Reagan administration…the FAA has been understaffed.” This understaffing affects critical areas, including air traffic controllers and, crucially, FAA safety inspectors. These inspectors are responsible for ensuring that aircraft manufacturers like Boeing and airlines adhere to safety regulations and maintain their fleets properly.
McGee highlights a concerning trend: “There was a time where FAA had inspectors that, you know, stood over Boeing shoulder and said, Okay, what are you doing there? How’s you know, how are you doing that? And how is the work being done at their manufacturing facilities, engineering, all of it? Well, they don’t have the resources, because we’ve been understaffed for 40 years.” The lack of resources has led to the FAA delegating inspection authority to the companies themselves through the Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) program. McGee critiques this system, asking, “They designate designees, our safety inspectors working on behalf of the FAA. But guess what? They work for the companies that they’re inspecting. Now think about that a moment. Does that make any logical sense? So that’s a system that does not work.” This potential conflict of interest raises concerns about the effectiveness of oversight.
Another area of concern is the outsourcing of heavy maintenance by US airlines to facilities in other countries. “The airlines outsource what the industry calls heavy maintenance…C checks, D checks. This is serious work, and we outsource it to El Salvador, Brazil, Mexico, China, Singapore.” While cost-saving for airlines, McGee questions the safety implications of this practice and the FAA’s allowance of it.
Recent actions from the Trump administration have further exacerbated these concerns. McGee points to the focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the FAA as a distraction and a misdirection of blame. He references unfounded accusations against DEI initiatives following an aviation incident, stating, “This absolutely nonsensical issue. Dei. Now, what is dei designed to do? It’s designed to from blamed for the crash, right? Exactly. I mean, that was just unforgivable. In my view. It was just absolutely unforgivable. Let’s be very blunt. They hadn’t even recovered the bodies from that crash…and already these charges, false charges, unfounded charges, were being made straight from the White House itself.”
Furthermore, the recent layoffs at the FAA, reportedly targeting nearly 2000 employees, have sparked outrage and alarm within the aviation community. McGee describes the reaction: “They’re enraged. I can tell you, I have, I have many, many friends and contacts within the FAA…people in the front lines doing the work, inspectors…They are incensed. Think about it. You just had almost 2000 employees fired on a Friday night for no reason whatsoever.” The rationale given, that these were “probationary employees,” is contested, with reports indicating that long-term employees were also affected due to FAA internal reclassification policies. McGee argues the illogicality of these layoffs from a safety perspective: “Laying off employees at the FAA at a time when they are already stretched thin, it makes no sense in any way possible. Almost 2000 employees were laid off last week. Now what? Is the mood with those that weren’t they’re in shock.” He emphasizes the detrimental impact on morale and the potential erosion of safety culture within the FAA.
Conclusion: Navigating the Skies with Awareness
So, is flying safe? Based on current data and expert analysis, commercial aviation remains remarkably safe. However, this safety is not guaranteed and requires constant vigilance and proactive measures. Bill McGee’s insights reveal that while recent incidents appear to be unrelated, underlying systemic issues and recent policy decisions pose potential threats to the long-term safety of air travel.
While immediate alarm may be unwarranted, informed awareness is crucial. Passengers can remain confident in the robust safety record of aviation while also recognizing the importance of continued investment in FAA resources, rigorous oversight of aircraft manufacturers and airlines, and a commitment to prioritizing safety above all else. The dedication of aviation professionals, from flight attendants to air traffic controllers and safety inspectors, remains a cornerstone of air travel safety. Addressing the emerging concerns and ensuring these professionals have the resources and support they need is paramount to maintaining and enhancing the safety of our skies.
