Americans’ confidence in air travel falls after string of plane crashes, poll shows
A recent poll shows that confidence in the safety of flying among Americans has declined, with only 64% feeling air travel is safe, down from 71% last year. The AP-NORC survey revealed a concerning trend where 20% of respondents now view planes as very or somewhat unsafe, marking a 12% increase since 2024.
The poll also noted a drop in trust towards pilots and federal agencies responsible for aviation safety. Confidence in pilots decreased from 45% to 41%, while faith in government agencies fell from 20% to just 13%. Trust in air traffic controllers also declined, dropping from 40% to 35%.
This decline in confidence follows several high-profile aviation incidents. On January 30, an American Airlines plane collided with an army helicopter over the Potomac River, resulting in the deaths of all 67 individuals on board both aircraft—making it the deadliest crash since 2009. Shortly after, a medical transport jet crashed in Philadelphia, killing seven people and damaging homes. On February 6, another tragic accident occurred when a small commuter plane crashed in Alaska, claiming all ten lives on board. Most recently, a Delta Air Lines jet crash-landed at Toronto Pearson airport but
fortunately resulted in no fatalities.
In response to these events, there has been a noticeable increase in online searches regarding flight safety and recent crashes. The AP-NORC poll was conducted from February 6 to February 10 among over a thousand adults.
Additionally, on February 14, the Trump administration began laying off hundreds of employees at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including those involved in maintaining essential air traffic control systems. Although air traffic controllers were not affected directly by these layoffs, other critical positions such as maintenance mechanics and aviation safety specialists were included.
Overall, these events have contributed significantly to the public's growing unease about flying safety this year.