Letter to the Editor: Safety First

This letter originally appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

While a recent Inquirer article accurately points out an uptick in travel jitters, readers should not mistake outdated systems for unsafe skies.

Commercial aviation in the U.S. remains safe. According to federal government data, nearly 99% of transportation incidents — from minor fender benders to major train derailments — involve cars and trucks. The risk of getting into an aviation accident, meanwhile, is less than .001%.

That means U.S. travelers are more likely to get into an accident on the way to the airport rather than on the aircraft. And according to researchers at MIT, air travel has grown roughly twice as safe every decade since the late 1960s.

The strong track record is a product of rigorous training, layered safety systems, skilled pilots, and experienced air traffic controllers who remain calm under pressure. And this process will only improve as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy works with Congress to modernize aviation infrastructure and boost air traffic control hiring.

Jackson Shedelbower, executive director, the Center for Transportation Policy, Arlington, Va.