Sure, here in the U.S. and in other parts of the world, we have guidelines and oversight that ensures our airlines meet minimum international standards for safe flying, extended pilot training, and mechanical maintenance. What about other parts of the world, however?
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over 20% of the foreign civil aviation authorities evaluated by the FAA fail to adequately oversee the airlines in their countries and those airlines don’t meet minimum international safety standards.
Within the European Union, the member states have assembled a list of airlines banned from flying because they were found unsafe. While these airlines are banned from operating in EU airspace, consumers may still travel on them in other countries and countries aren’t going to stop their citizens from flying on them. Unfortunately, the FAA publishes no similar list for American citizens.
Fatal airline accidents are relatively rare in the U.S., which can lull U.S. travelers into thinking travel is just as safe everywhere. Unfortunately, however, airline accidents are much more common abroad. According to planecrashinfo.com’s accident database , 14 airline passenger plane crashes have occurred between January and July already this year, most in third-world countries.
If you’re traveling in a country where you have doubts about the local air safety, check whether your travel insurance plan has adequate limits for medical care, make sure your plan has evacuation and repatriation coverage, consider Flight Accident and/or AD&D coverage, just in case the worst happens.
