Polls
Are the Safety Standards of Major Airlines Rapidly Decreasing?
Are the Safety Standards of Major Airlines Rapidly Decreasing?
Here’s The Scoop
In a shocking display of negligence, two JetBlue planes collided on the tarmac at Boston Logan Airport last Thursday morning. This alarming incident raises the question: Are the safety standards of major airlines rapidly decreasing?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stepped in to investigate the collision between an Airbus A321neo and another Airbus A321, both of which sustained damage. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as the planes were being de-iced at the time.
JetBlue flight 777, bound for Las Vegas, and flight 551, headed to Orlando, continued their routes on different aircraft. This disturbing event comes on the heels of another FAA investigation into a collision between All Nippon Airways Boeing 777 and Delta Air Lines Boeing 717 at Chicago O’Hare Airport last month.
JetBlue’s safety record is already under scrutiny, as the airline was ranked last out of nine U.S. airlines by the Washington Street Journal for the third year in a row. The ranking was based on factors such as on-time arrivals, flight cancellations, extreme delays, baggage handling, tarmac delays, involuntary bumping, and complaints. In contrast, Delta held the top spot for the third consecutive year.
As JetBlue contests its merger with Spirit Airlines in court, it’s worth noting that Spirit earned the seventh spot in the aforementioned ranking, improving from the previous year. JetBlue recently announced that Marty St. George, the former executive vice president and chief commercial officer, will take over as airline president at the end of February.
With these recent incidents and JetBlue’s poor safety ranking, it’s high time we demand better safety standards from major airlines before it’s too late.
What do you think? Let us know by participating in our poll, or join the discussion in the comment section below!
R. Earl
February 14, 2024 at 7:14 am
I am a retired airline captain, former Check Airman and Training Captain! Safety is definitely declining as airlines become ever larger and more inflexible, and crucial jobs like pilots are quota filled, not qualification filled! So glad I am no longer part of the industry!
Charles
February 14, 2024 at 8:10 am
The airlines have a problem because of unions. No union and pilots work 5 days a week for a full salary. 14 to 18 hrs off between flights gives time for adequate sleep. If you are going to make a full time salary then less that 20 days a month flying is not full time. With modern technology the bulk of the job is sitting around waiting for alarms to go off. Truthfully they cancel flight rather than fly in weather that 50 years ago they would fly in. Where the Safety issue really becomes a concern is on the ground with the competence of maintenance personnel and the job they do checking things. With doors falling off in flight there is a serious problem.
Bill
February 14, 2024 at 10:04 am
As usual they will continue to blame the wrong things for the root causes of the trend. To address the real root causes, management would have to point the finger at itself. We all know that is not going to happen. This is the case in general within the entire corporate world. The upper echelons are generally not proficient in the actual business they are charged with. Instead they are nothing more than individuals entrenched in the complete snobbery of educational credentials. More than not they are at best bean counters relying on sub management measured with the same yardstick. Gone are the days when proficiency and stellar performance on the job was the requirement for promotion. This results in a work force that quickly understands they are working for people dumber than they are. It quickly becomes “game on” when they know their superiors are too stupid to effectively police the job. In short the business rots from the top down.
Gale
February 18, 2024 at 8:12 pm
This is the best comment I’ve read on AMERICA let alone the Airline industry. Mediocrity is the rule now; no head higher than the lowliest employee. They are waiting for AI to run the industry so they have no one to blame.
Denise
February 14, 2024 at 3:28 pm
This is the problem with deregulation. Without regulations, companies will NOT choose to do the right thing – for customers, for society, for the planet, etc. Their only focus is, and always will be, profit above all else. MORE regulation is needed, not less.
Jerry C.
February 19, 2024 at 3:21 am
What safety standards? No more than 4 martinis for a pilot in the 2 hours before take-off? Unless Boeing or Airbus issued a recall notice it’s surely safe to fly?