Air Travel is safer than ever

[Linked Image] During the last decade, the number of deaths from terrorist attacks on aircraft is at an all time low. Since the attacks on two Russian planes in 2004 there have no more casualties due to terrorist activity. "This makes for the longest streak without a fatal incident since World War II", says Nate Silver. He collected all the numbers and concluded that flying has never been safer.

During the 9-11 attacks most casualties were ground fatalities. It is difficult to see the big picture because of all the attention for Al Qaeda. "From the very dawn of commercial air travel, it was inevitable that some idiots might think it a bright idea to hijack or detonate passenger jets." But they are becoming rarer as Silver remarks and they are becoming easier to detect. "Let's at least analyze these trade-offs rationally, and not let the terrorists terrorize us any more than we must."


Live and let live