Aviation remains safest travel mode despite recent incidents

Doha: As 2024 draws to a close, a series of aviation incidents has rattled holiday travelers, yet aviation experts quote numbers to reassure that air...

Doha: As 2024 draws to a close, a series of aviation incidents has rattled holiday travelers, yet aviation experts quote numbers to reassure that air travel continues to be the safest form of transportation available and further emphasize on listening to the authorities who hold passengers’ safety at high regards.

The final week of 2024 witnessed a series of tragic aviation incidents, from The Azerbaijani passenger plane that was shot down on December 25 by a Russian air defense system, to the terrible Jeju Air crash on December 28 in South Korea, claiming the lives of 179 passengers. 

Some other incidents reported during the week included a Canadian airliner suffered an engine failure due to a bird strike on December 29, and a runway deviation incident at Oslo airport involving a Royal Dutch Airlines flight, both reporting zero casualties. 

Despite these horrifying incidents, "Air travel remains the world's safest mode of transport," emphasizes renowned aviation analyst Alex Macheras in interview with the BBC. 

He further added that "air travel safety is no joke and it is treated with utmost seriousness."