According to French prosecutors, an investigation into the recent Germanwings crash has determined that the co-pilot of the plane locked the pilot out of the cockpit and then deliberately slammed the plane into the French Alps. Cockpit voice recordings have been recovered and were used in the analysis of this determination. Understandably, air travelers worldwide are asking how this co-pilot could have possibly been deemed fit to fly. In the wake of the fatal crash, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has released information about how it seeks to ensure cockpit safety on domestic airlines. Obviously, airlines based in countries outside the U.S. have their own rules [...]

Much of the world was shocked when news broke of an accident that caused a Delta Air Lines passenger plane to skid off a runway at LaGuardia Airport yesterday. According to numerous media outlets, the plane slid after landing and was only halted a few feet from the bank of the frigid East River. As of yesterday, it seems that nothing was mechanically wrong with the plane and no reports of pilot error surfaced in the hours immediately following the accident. Should the world have been shocked that a LaGuardia runway was essentially transformed into a slip-and-slide of ice and snow that imperiled the lives of [...]

Last week, we began a discussion aimed at helping to ease the fears of individuals who fear being injured or killed in airplane crashes. Although aviation accidents are relatively uncommon and air travel is far safer than travel by motor vehicle, many Americans suffer significantly because they are afraid of flying. Understandably, these individuals either avoid flying or attempt to limit their air travel. However, air travel cannot be avoided by all people who possess these fears. As a result, it is important that they find ways to make flying more manageable. We noted that there are several preparations that people can engage in when preparing [...]

Some Americans have more pressing fears of being either injured or killed in a plane crash than others do. Many people are so frightened of this potential occurrence that they either refuse to fly or must self-medicate when they do fly in order to keep their anxieties in check. Even though air travel is far safer than traveling by motor vehicle, there are certainly no guarantees that one will arrive at one’s destination safely via air travel. Thankfully, there are a few steps that those who are particularly fearful of air travel can take in order to feel more mentally and physically prepared for a potential [...]

We recently published a post detailing the dangerous nature of distracted driving behaviors. When motorists take their hands off the wheel, their eyes off the road and/or their minds off the task of driving, catastrophe can result. Thankfully, most kinds of distracted driving behaviors are preventable. As long as drivers remain engaged and alert, they can prevent many different kinds of accident scenarios. However, drivers too often choose to engage in distracting behaviors despite the dangers they pose. In a perhaps unsurprising twist on the issue of distracted driving, more travel-related operators are beginning to crash their air, water and land craft due to the same [...]

Nowadays, most airlines charge fees for checked baggage. As a result, it seems that many people get around this frustrating additional fee by stuffing as many of their possessions as possible into their carry-on bags. These overstuffed bags can be bulky, heavy and oddly shaped. When pushed and prodded into overhead compartments, they may not fit neatly. And when overhead bins are not properly secured, these bags can easily fall out and hurt someone. Perhaps this scenario is familiar to you. Perhaps you have even been the victim of an aviation accident involving falling baggage. If so, you may or may not be able to hold an airline [...]

We have previously discussed the fact that traveling by plane is far safer than traveling by motor vehicle. However, simply because air travel is safer than road travel does not mean that it cannot be safer itself. The number of aviation accidents that occur annually are far fewer than the number of motor vehicle crashes. But until the number of aviation accidents which occur annually reaches zero, improvements to air safety should continue to be a national priority. Federal regulators recently took an important step towards improving safety for air travelers. Specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration insisted that airlines must create programs designed to prevent accidents [...]

It can be difficult for the general public to understand just how safe or unsafe air travel is at a glance. It is generally understood that air travel is safer than traveling by car or truck. But how much safer is this form of travel? This question can be particularly difficult to answer when it seems that all major aviation accidents receive extensive coverage by the media and all fatal auto vehicle wrecks generally do not receive such coverage. Recently, Allianz released its 2014 Global Aviation Study, which gives the public, aviation officials and lawmakers a glimpse into the current state of aviation safety. Because it [...]