Travelers aren’t worried about plane safety despite ongoing chaos in the sky: poll

Alex Mitchell
·2 min read
In spite of several horrors in the skies lately, many Americans are confident is safe air travel.
In spite of several horrors in the skies lately, many Americans are confident is safe air travel.

The skies may not be clear, but passengers’ minds surprisingly are.

A strong majority of American travelers are unfazed by a noticeable spate of recent sky-high airline drama — most notably a door plug blowing off an Air Alaska flight in January — according to a new survey by the Associated Press.

Despite those and other alarming incidents, 71% of respondents said at the end of January that they feel air travel is either very or somewhat safe, whereas only 60% said the same for bus travel.

Just 12% felt flying was unsafe.

All that confidence belies frightening events including two JetBlue flights that got into a fender bender while on the ground at Boston Logan International Airport and an American Airlines flight that skidded off a runway in Rochester.

However, when it came to confidence in federal agencies to maintain safety in the skies, only 62% put their faith in governmental bodies.

Despite recent incidents including a Boeing jet door blowingoff, many Americans are confident in aviation safety. via REUTERS
Despite recent incidents including a Boeing jet door blowingoff, many Americans are confident in aviation safety. via REUTERS

As for opinions about pilots, 84% of respondents expressed confidence that captains of the sky would down without issues, along with 81% who said air traffic controllers would guide them safely along the way.

Plane manufacturers received a 71% vote of consumer confidence, and a close 67% felt planes “are safe from structural faults.”

That comes as the major plane maker Boeing has been in hot water over the Air Alaska incident, as well as a cracked windshield that caused a United flight to make an emergency landing and a passenger who recently filmed a Boeing 787 with duct tape on its wings.

An American Airlines flight recently skidded off a runway up upstate New York. ML Trickey/X
An American Airlines flight recently skidded off a runway up upstate New York. ML Trickey/X
Two Jet Blue flights recently collided with one another in Boston. via REUTERS
Two Jet Blue flights recently collided with one another in Boston. via REUTERS

The data also comes after an industry report’s stark warning that the airline business is bound for turbulent times ahead and that disruptions will become a “new normal.”

“In 2022 airlines struggled with supply and staffing issues, but during 2023, airlines and their partners are simply facing an unprecedented return of demand,” said Harry Grewal, the director of infrastructure and customer experience for the International Air Transport Association.

“Of course, that’s very welcome, but it brings its own operational challenges.”