Are all air crashes fatal?

Between 1978 and 1995 there were a total of 164 passenger jet accidents in which at least one passenger died. In nearly 50% of those accidents, all or most of the passengers were killed. In 37 cases less than a tenth of the passengers died. Over the same period, accidents involving propeller planes proved slightly more deadly, with 178 crashes leading to 100% fatality rates in 108 crashes. So, if your plane starts going down, your chances of survival aren't, to be honest, that great, but it's worth hanging on, just in case.

Who decides on what changes are made for safety?

The world leaders in aviation safety are the United Kingdom, France, and the US. Many of the other major industrialised nations follow the lead of these countries when it comes to changing safety regulations. Worldwide, the International Civil Aviation Organization is similarly influential.

Who investigates airline accidents?

In the majority of cases, formal air accident investigations are undertaken either by the authorities in the nation where the accident occurred or by the nation with whom the aircraft was registered. Many different organisations play a role in the investigation of accidents, depending on the circumstances of the accident. In the US, air accidents are investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board , and if the accident appeared to involve any kind of deliberate sabotage or hijacking, the FBI would also be drafted in.

Is flying getting any more safe than it was a decade or two ago?

Yes and no. In Western Europe and the US, the incidence of fatal accidents has decreased sharply, although with more planes in the sky than ever before, the risk of mid-air crashes is significantly higher than it was. However, the amount of media exposure afforded to air crashes has increased significantly, making public much more aware of disasters when they do happen. However, the average ratio of flights to fatalities has not changed dramatically in recent years.

How often do airliners crash?

If you consider a crash to be any air accident that has led to a passenger fatality, then it is fair to say that these events happen very rarely indeed. On a global scale, there are between ten and twenty fatal events that occur each year. The vast majority of these take place in the developing world, where planes tend to be older and less frequently serviced for economic reasons.