Many travelers are now considering the aircraft itself as a factor when booking flights, with 55% reporting that they have changed how they book flights due to recent news about aircraft and airlines, according to a survey conducted by Quantum Metric. Recent media coverage on Boeing has dominated headlines, prompting consumers to pay more attention to the type of aircraft they will be flying on. While 13% of respondents are avoiding discount carriers to feel safer about flying, it’s important to note that issues with Boeing impact all airlines regardless of their business model, as more discount carriers operate Airbus aircraft.
Despite recent headlines about Boeing, aviation safety has been steadily improving over the years. A research paper co-authored by a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that the risk of dying on a commercial flight globally was 1 per 13.7 million passenger boardings from 2018 to 2022, a significant improvement from previous decades. Factors contributing to improved safety include technological advances, extensive training programs, and rigorous safety standards set by organizations like the U.S. Federal Aviation Agency.
Geographical disparities exist when it comes to flight safety, with some countries reporting higher fatality risks than others. The study divides the world into tiers based on safety standards, with Tier 1 and Tier 2 countries seeing significantly lower fatality risks compared to Tier 3 countries. Despite a recent incident involving Alaska Airlines, aviation safety systems are designed to avert disasters, indicating that flying is safer than it may seem. The incident highlights the effectiveness of the air-safety system in responding to emergencies.
Although avoiding Boeing-manufactured aircraft is possible, it can be challenging given the dominance of Boeing and its European competitor, Airbus, in the aircraft manufacturing industry. While some platforms allow travelers to filter flights by aircraft type, switching airlines to avoid Boeing aircraft may not be feasible for frequent travelers. Following the crashes of two Boeing 737 Max planes in 2018 and 2019, some travelers may prefer to fly Airbus or avoid the 737 Max, but these options may not always be readily available or convenient.
Despite efforts to avoid flying on Boeing aircraft, there is no guarantee that travelers will not end up on one. Following the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash in 2019, some travelers went to great lengths to avoid flying on a Boeing 737 Max, only to find out later that their flight had been switched to a Boeing aircraft. While fears around flying on Boeing planes may be heightened due to recent incidents, the overall safety of commercial aviation has continued to improve, with low fatality rates and advanced safety measures in place.
