Amid several aircraft crashes and other incidents, some travelers wonder if it's safe to fly
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- With many recent high-profile crashes and other incidents involving aircraft, some people are feeling uneasy about flying.
In fact, online searches for "Is it safe to fly?" are skyrocketing.
"I was scared to death," said Angela Robinson, after landing at Philadelphia International Airport. "I came to see my new grandbaby that was born on December 24th, so I was like, 'I'll chance it.' But if it wasn't that, I probably wouldn't have flown"
She says that fear is because of recent crashes.
Last month, 67 people were killed when an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter collided in Washington, D.C.
Two days later, a medical jet crashed in Northeast Philadelphia, killing seven people.
RELATED: Northeast Philadelphia plane crash victims: What we know about those injured and killed
Last Monday, a Delta plane flipped and crashed on an icy Toronto runway, injuring 21 people.
And just on Tuesday, there was a near miss in Chicago when a Southwest Airlines plane aborted its landing to avoid a private jet on the runway.
"That's exactly how I feel. It seems like there's been a lot going on," said Dennis Schwendiman from Wildwood, New Jersey.
Those nerves are leading lots of travelers to search "Is it safe to fly" at the highest rate since the COVID-19 pandemic.
"When they happen, it's your worst nightmare come true, and so therefore everybody's kind of a little nervous about that," said aviation attorney and pilot Arthur Wolk.
He added that the airline industry is dealing with issues, including a pilot shortage led by those older than 65 retiring, outdated systems at the FAA, and what he calls crowded skies.
"The more airplanes you put into that space, the greater the chances are of an accident happening," he said.
Despite these changes, the Action News Data Journalism Team says the rate of air travel accidents has gone down by almost half over the last decade.
From 2011-2015, there was one accident per 456,000 flights. From 2020-2024, there was one accident per 810,000 flights.
"Now if you look at the statistics, flying is the safest thing you can do, including walking down the street," said Wolk.
