Aviation Safety

Stats Prove Flying Is Safer Than We May Think

We tend not to think about the risks of flying until the worst-case scenarios surface in the news. After the devastating fatality of EgyptAir Flight 804 last week, travelers have been on edge about aviation security. Officials are still looking for clues as to what caused the crash.

If you are a person that takes comfort in numbers, or having the odds in your favor, you’ll be happy to learn that when comparing recent years flight data to 2016, this year is shaping up to become one of the safest in aviation history.

In order to properly analyze all the data, experts at the International Air Travel Association (IATA) say that more than just plane crashes and fatalities need to be accounted for in order to determine the safety of travelers. Here are some numbers and statistics from 2015:

• More than 3.5 billion passengers flew safely in 2015 on 37.6 million flights

• There were only two high profile travel accidents in 2015

• Four fatal accidents (all aircraft types) versus 12 in 2014 and the five year average of 17.6

• 6% of all accidents were fatal, below the five year average of 19.6%

• Globally, there is one accident per every 3.1 million flights

The reason for the decrease in the number of fatalities is partially due to passing trough security prior to our flights. Within the past 15 years the Transportation of Security Administration (TSA) has improved their screening process with new equipment and training of staff to significantly reduce the risk of terrorist attacks on board planes. Next time we find ourselves waiting in line to board our flight it’s important to remember that the security personnel are making a positive impact on the travel industry by improving our safety.