Five Things Air Travelers Should be Thankful For

Nov. 24, 2010 — -- Okay, I'll start. What am I thankful for in the air travel industry this year? Safety.

Planes are safer than your boudoir? Yes, I'll explain.

First of all, I fly a lot and I'm still here because I always buckle my seatbelt on the drive to the airport -- and, because overall, U.S. airlines have an excellent safety record.

Plus, as the Book of Odds (one of my favorite websites) points out, the chances that "an airplane passenger will be involved in a plane crash in a year" are 1 in 10,790,000 (based on 2008 data). Contrast that with the odds of a licensed driver being involved in a car accident in a single year, which is just a hair over 1 in 19.

Are you still a queasy flier? I just hope you're also staying out of the bedroom. The odds a person will "die from a fall from bed in a year" are 1 in 478,300 (2006 data).

For more travel news and insights view Rick's blog at farecompare.com

What else am I thankful for? Well, a tip of the hat goes to all the people who keep our aircraft in good shape and on course. I'll include the following:

Yes, I got a laugh out of that rapping flight attendant and the crews that demonstrated flight safety instructions while dancing to Lady Gaga, but it's getting to be a bit much.

Give me a boring old-school pilot who tells me in his deep drawl when to look at "the magnificent view of the Grand Canyon" but otherwise keeps his mouth shut, or a flight attendant who's more interested in safety than celebrity.

In other words, give me a Capt. Sully over a Snookie or Situation wanna-be any time. Most of the folks flying our planes are consummate professionals, and I applaud the industry for its high standards.