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Is it Safe to Fly in Asia?
When I was in Asia I often paid for an overnight train rather than fly in a rickety plane. My guidebook advised that Laos Airlines had one of the worst safety records in the world, and there was no way I was taking any chances on an airline with a bad reputation. And reading the news lately, I'm glad I opted for the slower alternative.
Msnbc.com reports that pilot shortages, a string of crashes, and air traffic growth are raising concerns about the safety of flying in Asia. More than 50 budget airlines have popped up around the continent, and if you're thinking about flying on one you should do some homework.
Tom Ballantyne, chief corespondent for Orient Aviation magazine, suggests that potential passengers research safety issues and accidents for both the budget airline and its parent company. For example, the One-Two-Go flight that crashed and killed 88 passengers last week on Phuket, Thailand is connected to Orient-Thai Airlines -- a company that has been cited for outdated safety manuals and once almost hit a tower in Tokyo. Ballantyne also recommends checking out what kind of planes the airline operates -- are they new or old?
Indonesia has had the most problems. The report cites the lure of higher-paying jobs for pilots in the Middle East and other parts of Asia, as well as a shortfall of trained flight-deck personnel.
It's enough to keep this girl on the road, that's for sure.
Filed under: Asia, Indonesia, Thailand, Airlines, Transportation, Budget Travel
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris Sep 18th 2007 1:51PM
It's a valid concern, but unfortunately I'll think you'll find it's statistically far more dangerous to travel on Asian roads than to take Asian flights. I think you also need to careful of tarring all Asian air carriers with the same brush - Indonesia and Laos definitely have the problems you mention, but Thailand and Malaysia have, by and large, excellent safety records, even considering the Phuket tragedy. AirAsia, Asia's biggest budget carrier, has not had a single crash, and budget carriers are subject to the same aircraft regulations as full service carriers. Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines set worldwide standards of quality for air travel.