Tag Archives: Safety

Flying was Safer in 2012

Air fatalities worldwide are down to 23 fatal crashes in 2012, down from 28 last year, down from an average of the last decade of 34 fatal crashes per year. Those 23 crashes generated 470 fatalities, down from an average of 770 people over the last decade. The U.S. hasn’t had a fatal accident of…

FAA Seeking Public Comment on Portable Electronics

The FAA announced that they are forming a working group to study current policies related to portable electronic devices(PED). The group will review the FAA’s policies on devices and the procedures for determining whether they can be used during various phases of the flight. This doesn’t mean you’ll be able to use your cell phone…

United Loses Children

In June of 2009, we reported on how Continental Airlines had lost a young girl who was travelling under its unaccompanied minor program. Another similar situation has arisen with United Airlines, which merged with Continental, to the point that there is a petition on change.org, asking United to either redesign or discontinue its Unaccompanied Minors…

Rethinking Electronics in Flight or What’s Airplane Mode?

[caption id="attachment_1703" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Interior of Virgin America A320"][/caption] A few weeks ago, we commented on the ban on portable electronics. The truth is, in terms of the FAA’s stated rationale, there is little evidence presented that indicates the majority of electronics have any effect on aircraft systems. But, the other reason, the one not…

TSA To Begin Having Agents Wear Devices To Measure Cumulative Radiation Exposure From ‘Safe’ Scanners

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="180" caption="Image by Martin Deutsch via Flickr"][/caption] There’s no health risk from the invasive scanners that the TSA has installed at airports around the country, the TSA has maintained.  If you don’t like it, you can be searched in an inappropriately intimate way, or not allowed to fly.  Now, the agency plans…