Why It Feels Like Planes Are Crashing More Often Lately
From flipped planes to fatal collisions, 2025 has felt like a turbulent year for air travel—literally. But while recent high-profile incidents have rattled public confidence, experts say there’s more to the story than social media panic.
So far, 2025 has seen two fatal commercial jet crashes, the latest being the Air India disaster.
Other unsettling events so far this year include a Delta plane flipping on a Toronto runway, an American Airlines engine fire that forced an evacuation via the wing, and a helicopter collision in D.C. that claimed all lives onboard. Plus, there are all the incidents of aging radar and air traffic control losing access to planes while they're in the air.
These headlines have people wondering: are planes actually crashing more often?
Statistically, no, The Telegraph reported. According to aviation data analysts, 2023 was one of the safest years in aviation history, with only six fatal accidents worldwide. 2024 saw a spike—16 fatal crashes with 333 deaths. However, that number is still a fraction of the thousands of fatalities per year seen decades ago. In fact, from 2006 to 2024, no single year topped 1,000 deaths. Compare that to the 1970s, when yearly fatalities often exceeded 2,000.
Experts attribute the rise in fear to visibility, not risk. With smartphones and social media capturing every minor mishap, a skewed sense of danger has taken hold. But the truth? Air travel is still among the safest forms of transportation.
That’s thanks to advances in jet engine reliability, cockpit tech, and air traffic systems. So much so, that today, pilot error—not mechanical failure—is the leading cause of accidents.
Of course, accidents will still happen. But the odds? You’d need to fly every day for over 100,000 years to face a fatal crash, according to IATA data. Flying has never been more closely monitored, regulated, and prepared for emergencies
The bottom line? Yes, the headlines have been unnerving. But the skies are still safer than they seem. If you’re boarding a flight this summer, the data says you’re in good hands.
Related: American Airlines Breaks Silence on Newark International Airport