As a result of watching a recent Frontline program about regional airlines (if you didn’t catch the program, you can watch it here), I got very interested in the regionals, and where they fly, and honestly, what their safety records are. I’ve never been a fan of flying, and it’s scary to have no idea what the credentials of your pilot are, or what the accident record of the line you’re flying is. In my perusal for information, I discovered that the PBS website has this nifty map from which I can’t tear myself away.Call it a fascination with the morbid or maybe just a fervent desire to keep myself safe while palpitating through air travel, but I’ve been checking the details on every airline. Some are exemplary, and some are downright scary. In any event, if you’re planning a trip that involves an airplane any time soon, this is a valuable resource to find out in whose hands you want to put your safety.
If the regionals make you nervous, and the lack of any information of whether you’re booking a major airline or being sneakily shuttled off to one of their contract airlines infuriates, here’s a tip-off: pay attention to how many seats the plane has. You can see by checking a particular airport on the nifty map that the regionals consistently have smaller planes with less than a hundred seats. And do read the incidents and accidents reports – you may be unsettled by a long list of accidents, or pleasantly surprised by a complete lack of fatalities.
by AA @Main
Graphic courtesy of LucyTravels
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