In wake of recent aviation incidents, concerns have arisen about whether flying is safe. NBC 5 Responds’ PJ Randhawa reports.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating a close call at Chicago’s Midway Airport.
On Tuesday, a Southwest Airlines plane had to divert its landing after a business jet entered the runway without authorization. Earlier in February, a Delta flight from Minneapolis skidded across a runway in Toronto. All of the 80 people on board survived.
In January, we saw the deadliest American air disaster in nearly a quarter century. A midair collision between an Army Blackhawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet killed all 67 people on board the two aircraft.
The causes of all three of these incidents are under investigation.
Experts say it's safe to fly
In the wake of these incidents, you might wonder - is flying safe? According to the National Safety Council, “The lifetime odds of dying as an aircraft passenger in the United States was too small to calculate.”
Hani Mahmassani, professor of transportation engineering at Northwestern University, agrees - you shouldn’t be concerned about airline safety.
NBC 5 Responds
"Overall, air travel is still by far the safest form of long-distance travel," Mahmassani said.
He advises travelers to go on with their intended travel.
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Clint Henderson, the managing editor for the travel website The Points Guy, agrees flying is safe.
But he understands there’s a lot of fear due to recent airline incidents.
Henderson said if you want to reschedule an upcoming trip, you may have options.
“While you're not always going to be able to get a cash refund if you decide you don't want to travel, most airlines will work with you and give you a trip credit for future flying,” Henderson told NBC 5 Responds.
According to Henderson, you have the best chance of getting a travel credit if you call your airline and speak with a representative on the phone. If they’re not helpful, call back until you find someone who is.
When it comes to travel insurance, most policies don’t cover “fear of flying." You’d need a “cancel for any reason” policy. And those are among the most expensive forms of travel insurance.
Advice for booking future travel
The Points Guy says there are a few things you can do to protect yourself before you book a future trip.
- Book using a credit card that has travel protection built in
- If you booked with credit card points or airline miles, it’s a lot easier to get those back if you choose to cancel or postpone your trip
- Consider paying a little extra for a refundable flight or hotel room
