Air India crash brings aviation death toll to 460 this year. So, is it still safe to fly?

This year is proving one of the deadliest in the past decade for air travel.
With at least 260 dead after the Air India crash this week, aviation experts say fatalities have reached 460 in the first six months of 2025.
Given the latest tragedy, DailyMail.com investigates whether air travel really is becoming more dangerous.
While the aviation industry maintains exceptionally high safety standards, the recent string of high-profile incidents has raised fears flying is getting riskier.
The average number of deaths during flights per year stands at 284, according to Jan-Arwed Richter, founder of Jacdec, a German consulting firm that tracks aviation safety.
That means 2025 has already had almost double the average number of air travel deaths.
Richter told Bloomberg: 'This year still has more than six months to go, so this could be concerning if this rate of fatal accidents would go on.'
While many people will likely now have concerns about the safety of air travel, experts stress flying is not getting more dangerous.
Dr Simon Bennett, director of the civil safety and security unit at the University of Leicester, in England, told DailyMail.com: 'That perception is understandable because safety goes through peaks and troughs.
'So if you take a snapshot at a particular time it can either look like things are getting seriously dangerous or that things are getting seriously safe.'
The high level of fatalities in 2025 comes on the back of one of the safest periods in the history of air travel.
In 2023, industry groups found there was not a single fatal incident throughout the entire year.
However, a series of high-profile events starting from the end of 2024 have grabbed the public attention.
While these incidents create an illusion of escalating danger, this is not reflected in the statistical reality.
As the Air India tragedy unfolded, the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch published its annual safety review for 2024.
This review concluded: 'Commercial aviation remains one of the safest forms of public transport, with global accident rates continuing their long-term decline.'
Dr Bennett points out that aviation experts only look at averages over longer periods, to avoid being biased by big spikes associated with single incidents.
'If you take a 20-year snapshot, then air safety is unequivocally improving,' he explained.
However, the experts also points out that it is extremely difficult to convince people of this fact.
'You will be safer five miles above than you would be at home - that is a fact.
'But if you tell the public that they won't believe you,' he said.
'My deepest sympathies go out to those who've been affected, but I would beg the public to consider such events in the widest possible context.'
As for what has caused this 'trough' in air flight safety, there may be a number of reasons with economic causes being the most likely.
Dr Bennett says that downturns in the fortunes of airflight industries lead to reduced investment in safety, which can spark an increase in near misses and incidents.
Until the official investigation concludes, it is impossible to confirm exactly what led to the crash of Air India Flight 171.
However, it appears environmental and mechanical issues may have combined to prevent the flight from gaining altitude properly.
Dr Sammy Diasinos, an aerodynamics researcher at Macquarie University, in Sydney, Australia, says: 'The B787 has very powerful engines and can easily operate if one engine fails, so for this accident to occur, we would be looking at a very rare double engine failure.
'I would expect this highlights an environmental cause rather than an engine or maintenance issue.
'It would be very unusual for two engines on the same aircraft to be on the exact same maintenance schedule, making simultaneous mechanical failure unlikely.'
Experts point out that the hot conditions and the flight's full fuel would have meant it needed extra time to gain altitude - something which it appeared unable to do.
With temperatures on the runway at 37°C (98°F), the flight would have needed significantly more lift to gain altitude.
Additionally, Flight 171 appeared to have both its landing gear deployed and flaps retracted at an altitude of only 600ft (182m) causing it to have a lower lift.
Murray Terwey, an aviation lecturer at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia, said: 'Aircrew have been known in the past to retract the flap instead of the gear by mistake.
'This, in the early stages of flight, can lead to a significant loss of lift which can lead to an accident.'
However, the exact combination of factors which led to this incident will only be revealed in a full investigation by the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Mail​

20 hours ago

• Daily Mail​

Plane passenger's 'disgusting' habit mid-flight sparks fierce outrage

A woman on a recent Delta flight horrified fellow passengers after propping her bare feet without socks on the TV screen in front of her. Someone else on the flight snapped a photo of the bizarre and unhygienic moment and shared it to Reddit, where it quickly went viral. 'Jesus Christ…' they captioned the post, adding: 'Do I even need to say anything?' Though it's unclear whether she was using her toes to actually interact with the screen, the image showed her shoe and sock-less feet pressed against the in-flight entertainment system. It sparked widespread disgust online and reignited debates about personal space and airplane etiquette. The poster later responded to a comment, saying: 'She had them on the wall first and I was like, [What the f**k], but OK." Now they're on the goddamn touchscreen. Come on.' Some comments read: 'People are so disgusting,' 'Gross,' and, 'Flight attendants really need to start saying something.' 'I never wear shorts, short sleeve shorts, flip flops, or open-toe shoes on a plane... Ever... they are so incredibly dirty,' one user said. 'The bare feet people on planes is just gross… especially when they stick them on things,' another wrote. 'I can smell this photo. I'd be so upset if I had to sit near this,' a different user expressed. 'Where are the flight attendants? Did anyone complain?' someone else asked. 'Ewww no one wants to see toes in the air,' one person admitted. Someone else wrote: 'Absolutely THE F**K not. Why are grown adults so gross?!?!' 'Do flight attendants just not want to get into a fight or what? [In my opinion], it's perfectly reasonable to ask her to keep her feet off the... screen,' another user explained. Recently, insiders exclusively revealed to the Daily Mail the absolute worst ways vacationers can behave, from forcing other tourists to swap seats with them against their will to cutting their toenails onboard. The worldwide baggage shipping company Luggage Forward conducted a study of airplane etiquette preferences and found the worst offenders (in order) were talking loudly on a plane, playing a video or music without headphones, eating smelly food, taking off your shoes, and using both armrests. There are also massive personal grooming mistakes people make while flying, etiquette expert Genevieve 'Jenny' Dreizen, based in Edinburgh, Scotland, told the Daily Mail. One no-no is people toenail clipping or in-flight manicures, which Dreizen fittingly described as 'deeply unhygienic and very disruptive.' And no matter how comfortable it may seem, keep those shoes on. Dreizen believes that everyone 'should attempt to keep their shoes on for safety reasons because on a typical flight, there's really no need to take them off.' 'No bare feet on the seats or in the aisle, ever,' Dreizen said, adding, 'It's a plane, not your living room.'

The Independent

21 hours ago

• The Independent

Air India flight cuts: How many have been axed and what are your rights?

In the wake of the deadly crash of Air India flight AI171 in Ahmedabad on 12 June, the Indian national airline has cancelled dozens of flights over the next 25 days – with a warning that cuts could continue beyond that. At least 275 people died when the Boeing 737 Max came down moments after take-off on a flight to London Gatwick. Air India has axed 15 per cent of its international wide-bodied schedule between 21 June and 15 July. Links from Amritsar and Goa to London Gatwick have been suspended, while there will be fewer flights on routes to and from London Heathrow and Birmingham airports. These are the key questions and answers. What's the background? Air India 's chief executive, Campbell Wilson, told passengers: 'Arising from this tragedy, and as directed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), we have been conducting thorough safety inspections on our 33 Boeing 787 aircraft. So far, inspections have been completed on 26 and these have been cleared for service. The remaining aircraft are currently in planned maintenance and will have these additional checks done before being released into service. 'Following the review, the DGCA has confirmed that our Boeing 787 fleet and maintenance processes fully meet safety standards. 'Regrettably, the time required to perform these enhanced safety checks, along with the application of extra caution, external factors like airspace closures in Iran and the Middle East as well as night-time restrictions at some international airports, along with normal airline technical issues, has led to a higher-than-usual number of cancellations on our long-haul network in the past few days. We know these disruptions have been frustrating, and we're truly sorry for the inconvenience.' What is being done? The Air India boss said: 'As a confidence-building measure, we have elected to continue enhanced pre-flight safety checks on our Boeing 787 fleet and, as an added measure, our Boeing 777 aircraft, for the time being. 'Given the time these additional checks will consume and the potential impact on schedules, we have decided to reduce our international wide-body flights by around 15 per cent.' He said the cancellations would continue "through to at least mid-July', suggesting there could be further disruption. 'This will also allow us to have more backup aircraft ready to handle any unexpected issues,' he said. Which UK routes are affected? Cancelled until 15 July (or later): Amritsar and Goa to London Gatwick, due to be flown three times a week on each route. Reduced frequencies Delhi- London Heathrow: Two of the 24 flights each week cancelled. Bengaluru-London Heathrow: One of the daily flights cancelled. Amritsar-Birmingham and Delhi-Birmingham: One of the three-a-week flights cancelled on each route. Any impact further afield? Yes. Connecting flights from Delhi to Melbourne, Sydney, Seoul and Tokyo have had frequencies reduced, making onward connections more difficult. What does the airline say? 'Air India apologises to the passengers affected by these curtailments, and is proactively contacting affected passengers to offer a choice of: 'Re-accommodation on alternative flights "Complimentary rescheduling 'Full refunds' It appears that the first two options are basically the same. There is no clarity about whether alternative flights will be on Air India only, or on other airlines. I have a booking for the summer. What are my rights? It depends on whether you are flying from the UK (or elsewhere in Europe) to India, or in the opposite direction. Starting in Europe, you are covered by air passengers' rights rules that insist in the event of a cancellation, you should be offered the best available alternative – including on another airline if that is the optimum way to get you to your destination on schedule. You should also be provided with meals and, if necessary, accommodation until you reach your destination. Some passengers may request compensation of £520 if the cancellation is notified less than two weeks in advance and significantly disrupts their travel plans. Flying from outside the UK/EU on a non-European airline like Air India, you have no such rights. You may be restricted to Air India, or fellow airline members of the Star Alliance. You are not automatically entitled to meals and accommodation. Anything more? Airline boss Campbell Wilson says: 'This is a challenging time for all of us. We are grateful for your support, and your understanding that safety must always come first. Your trust means everything to us, so if you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us through our customer support channels.'

Daily Record

a day ago

• Daily Record

A Place in the Sun star Scarlette Douglas was meant to be on plane which crashed and killed her friend

Former I'm A Celebrity star Scarlette opened up about her fear of flying after she was supposed to be on the doomed Air France flight. A Place in the Sun host Scarlette Douglas has admitted that she "hates flying" because she was supposed to be on a doomed plane which crashed and killed more than 200 people. Despite hosting the popular travel show, Scarlette revealed that she really dislikes air travel after her friend died when Air France Flight 447 crashed into the mid-Atlantic Ocean in June 2009. All 228 people onboard, including Scarlette's friend, lost their lives in the tragedy. According to The Mirror, Scarlette was meant to be on the Airbus A330 after her friend booked both their seats. ‌ However, the presenter had a job in Hollywood so didn't travel in the end. ‌ Scarlette, who appeared on I'm A Celebrity in in 2022, made the heartbreaking admission at the Taste of London Food Festival opening party in Regent's Park this week. Speaking to a Daily Mail reporter, she said: "I lost a really good friend of mine in the Air France crash from Brazil to France. The scary thing was I was supposed to be on that flight. She had booked it." Scarlette says she "hates flying" as a result, which proved a challenge for her role on A Place in the Sun. She hosted the programme and its various spin-offs between 2015 and 2022, before her I'm a Celeb stint. The star was asked about flying in the wake of the Air India plane crash, which saw all but one of those onboard the Boeing die in a horror crash. A total of 53 Brits were killed after the plane, destined for Gatwick Airport, collided into a medical college in Ahmedabad, western India. Although the investigation into the crash continues, an aviation expert has claimed the co-pilot pulled the plane's wing flaps instead of retracting the landing gear moments after take-off. ‌ But inconsistent airspeed indications and miscommunication led to the pilots inadvertently stalling the doomed Air France plane, on which Scarlette's friend travelled in 2009. They failed to recover the plane from the stall, and the plane crashed into the mid-Atlantic Ocean. The investigation was hampered because the aircraft's flight recorders were not recovered from the ocean floor until May 2011, nearly two years after the accident. Eventually, the final - and conclusive - report by France's Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) was published on July 2012. The majority of those onboard the four-year-old Airbus were Brazilians and French citizens. However, five tragic Brits died in the atrocity, including 11-year-old boy Alexander Bjoroy, oil worker Graham Gardner and PR executive Neil Warrior.