Is flying getting more dangerous?

15 June 2025, 07:00

You are statistically more likely to die from being struck by lightning than meet your demise in a plane crash, but the safety of air travel is once more under the microscope following the Air India tragedy.

Thursday’s devastation saw 241 passengers on board Flight 171 die after the plane crash-landed on its way to London Gatwick shortly after having taken off from western India’s Ahmedabad Airport.

British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was the lone survivor after the Boeing plane smashed into apartments for training doctors in a residential part of the city. Another to had bought a ticket said that being stuck in traffic made her miss the flight, and her life was saved.

As investigations continue, questions are being raised about how the tragedy occurred and the safety of flying in general, given several high-profile cases that have been witnessed in the past few years.

Here are some answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

Which Boeing plane was involved in the Air India crash?

Boeing has hit the headlines in recent years with other models having been involved in fatal crashes around the world, but this was the first time the 787 Dreamliner had been involved in an accident where anybody died.

The plane has been in service since 2011 and has transported more than one billion customers. There are more than 1,100 787s in service.

Video shows the plane struggling to gain elevation after takeoff and reaching only 190m.

David Gleave, a former accident investigator, told reporters: “It’s a very unusual accident … it’s a very unusual situation, so soon after takeoff, and it is a very safe aeroplane.”

It was crashes involving the Boeing 737 Max that killed hundreds of people in 2018 in Indonesia and 2019 in Ethiopia. The company has only just settled a $1.1bn payout over the fatal crashes.

What's next for Boeing?

Boeing is one half of what is effectively a duopoly in the plane production industry, with German firm Airbus being their only rival.

The cause of the crash is still being investigated, but public perception of Boeing has taken a hit, with the share price of the plane builder falling by 5 percent by the end of Thursday.

There has not been any suggestion that Boeing or the 787 Dreamliner was to blame for the crash that has been called “unusual” by airline experts.

Company chief executive Kelly Ortberg said: “Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad.

“I have spoken with Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran to offer our full support, and a Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.”

Mr Ortberg came out of retirement last year to try and revive Boeing after the company lost billions after the 737 Max crashes, which were caused by a software fault. The plane was grounded worldwide for 18 months, which forced Boeing to pay out to airlines who had lost revenue as a result of not being able to fly.

The company’s most recent tweet read: “We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders, and all affected.”

What other flight crashes have there been in recent years?

Except for the Boeing 737 Max crashes, it is often pilot error or adverse circumstances that are the primary cause of why planes go down.

Some other recent examples are:

• February 2025: Delta Airlines flight crashes in Toronto - but no fatalities,
• January 2025: A medical plane crashes in Philadelphia, with eight deaths recorded,
• January 2025: In Washington DC, an American Airlines flight crashed into a helicopter, leading to 67 deaths,
• December 2024: In South Korea, a Jeju Air flight crashed in Muan International Airport, killing 179,
• December 2024: Around 40 people died when an Azerbaijan Airways flight crashed in Russian airspace.

Is flying getting more dangerous?

More plane crashes led to higher scrutiny around the safety of air travel, but 2024 saw the highest number of plane crashes since 2018.

Last year, there were 16 fatal accidents, and 333 passengers and crew died, but this followed on from 2023 when only 15 people died across six accidents.

Until the Kazakhstan and South Korea crashes, 2024 would have been broadly on par with 2023, and there were 37 million scheduled flights last year.

The death toll from 2024 of 360 is far below the 1,500-plus figure that was routinely seen throughout the 1990s. As of June 12, 360 people have died in air crashes.

John Grant of flight database and statistics company OAG, told the Telegraph: “In 2024, there were over 37 million scheduled flights operated by airlines around the world, and the number of major incidents could be counted on two hands.

“Such a level of safe flight completion highlights and confirms that air travel is one of the safest forms of transport available and that the professionalism and technical expertise of the industry continues to ensure that safety remains at the very heart of all flights operated.”