Although air accidents seem more frequent, the data shows that commercial aviation is safer than ever. Experts explain to VOA how technology, strict protocols and media coverage influence this perception.
The plane crash of January 29, 2025 on the Potomac River in Washington, which left a balance of 67 dead, revived the debate on air security and the perception that you have about this type of situations.
While the general sensation is that these incidents are increasing, the data shows a very different reality.
Airbus Perico Durán commander, who has been in the industry for 24 years, explained to the Voice of America that the perception of an increase in aerial accidents is not supported by statistics.
“In the United States, the last accident with fatalities before Washington occurred in 2013. 12 years have passed without a single accident in commercial aviation by companies that belong to IATA (International Air Transport Association),” says Durán, who has also popularized in social networks thanks to its informative contents on air safety.
Aviation is increasingly safe
The trend in terms of security has been increasing, according to official figures. In the 2000-2010 decade there was an average of 13 annual commercial air accidents with a total of 20 million flights. In the following decade, the number of flights increased to 30 million, but accidents were reduced to 9 per year.
Now, with 40 million annual flights, the average accident is just 4.4 per year. In 2023 there was only an accident on those 40 million flights.
“If there is an industry that has improved its safety at extraordinary levels, it is commercial aviation,” says Durán.
For its part, Gonzalo Zulueta, who is a flight instructor in Miami, Florida, also provides relevant data on respect to pointing out that “in the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA, in English) manages 45,000 daily flights, with more than 16 million flights per year” and that “more than 3 million passengers arrive healthy and saved to their destinations every day”.
However, it is important to differentiate between commercial aviation and general aviation, which includes private flights and planes. The vast majority of the incidents, the specialists explain, occur on private flights or in non -regulated aircraft with the same safety standards as commercial airlines.
There the relationship is bigger: there are about 200 accidents with fatalities a year. That is, an accident of this type every two days.
Social networks and perception of insecurity
The key factor in the perception of an accident increase is the impact that the images of these events on social networks have since any incident is usually recorded and shared in seconds.
“(Of the attacks) of September 11, 2001 we have few images because people did not wear a camera in their pocket. Today, any accident is recorded from five or six different angles, with high definition images that are viralized in minutes, ”explains Durán convinced that this causes the public to perceive an increase in accidents, even if the reality is the opposite.
Zulueta, on the other hand, agrees that the coverage of aerial incidents has changed radically. “Networks amplify everything. A passenger in a minor accident in Canada recorded the evacuation. It spread so much that it seemed like a catastrophic event, when in reality no one was injured, ”he said before the Voa.
In addition, they also coincide by pointing out that, many times, the media usually present the incidents in a “sensationalist” way, which can distort the reality of some operations that are usually part of the protocol.
An emergency landing, which in aviation is a safe and protocol maneuver, is presented as an imminent risk event. “Many times the headlines do not reflect the reality of the event,” Durán warned.
Safety and Aviation Protocols
Aviation follows strict security controls before, during and after each flight. “Aviation is the most regulated industry in the world. From what we eat how much we sleep is monitored, ”explained the Airbus pilot.
Each plane is in “constant autochequeo” and, in addition, each flight passes through exhaustive previous controls. “The pilots have rigorous verification lists. Before each flight, we inspect the plane inside and out, making sure that everything is in order. In addition, each aircraft must undergo regular maintenance according to very strict regulations, ”said Zulueta.
On the other hand, the maintenance of aircraft is also a constant. “A commercial plane goes through technical reviews much more followed than people imagine. There are daily inspections, every 100 hours of flight and deep reviews periodically, ”Durán added.
What happens if an engine fails?
One of the greatest concerns of passengers is the motor failure, although they clarify that the airplanes are designed to fly with a single engine.
“If an engine stops working, the other can take the plane to destination. Even in the unlikely case that both engines fail, the plane can plan and land safely. That was what happened in 2009 on the Hudson River, ”recalled the flight instructor.
“Each plane must show that it can take off and fly with a less engine than it has. If it is a two -engines plane, it is proven that it can fly with one. It is an impressive security margin, ”the pilot stressed.
Zulueta, who is dedicated to forming future pilots in the south of Florida, reinforces this idea explaining that the commanders are prepared for these situations: “The first thing we teach students is that the motor failure is not a matter of 'if' will happen, but of 'when' when '. And when it happens, there are very clear procedures to handle the situation without danger. ”
Turbulence: uncomfortable, but not dangerous
Another issue that generates anxiety in passengers is turbulence. “Turbulence is uncomfortable, but not dangerous. Never in the history of modern aviation a plane has fallen by turbulence, ”Durán said.
The most severe turbulence reaches 2.5g of strength, while the airplanes are designed to support up to 5.8g without suffering structural damage. “Alarmist headlines on turbulence are misleading. Many times they say that the plane 'fell 9,000 feet (2,740 meters) in an air well', when it was actually a controlled descent, ”said the pilot.
In addition, they insist that turbulence are normal atmospheric phenomena and airplanes are designed to support them without problem. “The greatest danger of a turbulence is that a passenger without a belt is hit against the roof of the cabin,” Zulueta warned.
Aviation remains the safest transportation
The data show that commercial aviation is safer than ever. As Durán said, “on 100 million flights, there has only been only one deadly accident in the United States. There is no safer activity in the world. ” Despite the perception that accidents are more common, the reality is that security improvements have drastically reduced incidents.
“You are more likely to collide on the way to the airport than to suffer an accident on the plane,” Zulueta apostilled.
However, they argue that aviation is, by far, the safest means of transport, and will continue to be thanks to the constant innovation and rigor of its protocols.