CONCERNS FOR AIR TRAVEL
By: Ellie Talich
Air transportation has always been seen as a safe and effective travel method. According to USAFacts, “The injury rate for US airline passengers is near zero per 100 million passenger miles.” This fact was published on December 16, 2024; since then, fatal plane crashes have increased substantially. While approximately 2.9 million passengers fly daily on U.S. airlines and the likelihood of a collision is rare, there are still concerns about the recent issues in the air to receive global attention.
Some of the recent crashes include the collision in Washington, D.C., where an American Airlines jet crashed with an Army helicopter. A total of 64 people on the American Airline jet and three soldiers on the Army helicopter came to a total of 67 deaths through one incident. Recent articles show that 10 passengers died in a commuter plane crash in Alaska. There were also multiple people injured in a crash in Philadelphia on Friday, January 31st. Seven people died, and a total of 24 people were injured. The current president, Donald Trump, commented on these crashes at a recent press conference, stating, “We have to have our smartest people,” as he was referring to air traffic controllers. Trump later mentions that it doesn't matter who people are, their appearance, or their backgrounds, but the fact remains that geniuses need to be controlling air traffic.
Crashes have occurred worldwide but have failed to become public because more significant news is making headlines. These recent crashes have been seen as a bigger deal because there has been a substantial amount in a short period. Air travel can be seen as a risk and can be validated by these issues. The government wants to assure travelers that air traffic will return to normal and remain safe.
Work Cited
4“Trump implies DEI could be to blame for the Washington, D.C., plane crash.” NBC News, 1 February 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/trump-plane-crash-dei-press-conference-biden-faa-washington-dc-rcna190020. Accessed 13 February 2025.