Dates, events, facts

Air travel is the safest form of transportation

Air travel is commonly known as the safest form of transportation. Every year, about two billion people land safely at their destination. Air traffic has tripled since the 1980s, but the number of accidents has decreased.

In 2008, 817 people were killed in 61 plane crashes. Most fatal accidents happen with smaller aircrafts, often during take off or landing. In half of the cases, pilot errors are the cause.