Dangers of flying change according to destination
FLYING in developing countries is 13 times more dangerous than in first world nations, a new study has revealed.
The odds of dying on a scheduled flight in first world countries such as the US, Australia and Japan were calculated at one in 14 million.
However flying in emerging countries such as Brazil, Taiwan and India led to a one in two million chance of being killed per flight.
The odds worsened when it came to less economically-advanced developing nations such as Africa and Latin America, with a crash rate of one in 800,000.
The calculations were made by Arnold Barnett, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management in the US and a researcher on aviation safety, who analysed data from 2000-07.
Mr Barnett said the gap between aviation safety in developing and developed countries is significant.
"Flying to a developing country is statistically less safe than flying to a first world country," Mr Barnett said.
"Once there, flying internally is less safe than, for example, flying in Western Europe. It's not a vague impression. It's a big systematic difference."
"Even in countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong, with first world incomes and quality of life, the statistical safety record is closer to that of still developing countries. They haven't caught up."
However Mr Barnett, who became interested in airline safety due to his own fear of flying, said safety seems to be increasing around the world.
"One in 800,000 is still pretty low," he said. "We are talking about safe and very safe, not safe and dangerous."
Mr Barnett said cultural differences such as deference to authority (such as thinking the pilot is always right, even when they’re wrong) and “individualism”, or the ability to solve problems alone may explain the different accident rates.
Mr Barnett’s findings were published in the journal Transportation Science.
There have been eight fatal accidents on scheduled passenger flights so far this year, with all eight occurred in the developing world.
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