UAE | Tourism

Aircraft type not top concern

Safety record of airline matters most, say UAE residents after news of Air France A330 crash.

  • By Rabab Khan, Community Interactivity Editor
  • Published: 23:31 June 9, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: Supplied photo
  • The past record of an airline and its attempt to meet international standards matters to most passengers.
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Dubai: It's summer holiday time and it's a scramble to book airline tickets. With the Air France A330 crash that killed over 200 people earlier this month, are people making an effort to find out the model of the passenger aircraft they are flying on? Gulf News readers voice their views on whether they care or not.

Tarun Agarwal, an Indian expatriate, feels the safety record of an airline matters most. He said: "I will be travelling to my home country in the summer and I do not care about the model of the aircraft, since I trust the airline and its judgment."

He believes accidents are part of daily life and the recent Air France crash does not change his perspective of the airline or the type of aircraft used.

He said: "Air France [I believe] has a very good past record, so questioning them does not seem feasible. I would use the airline, as long as the flight schedule was suitable."

Kellie Drayton, an Australian expatriate, is quite concerned about an aircraft's maintenance.

She said: "I look at the maintenance team before considering the make of the plane. As long as a plane is well maintained, I will be mentally satisfied."

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Drayton is not worried about travelling on an A330 aircraft in the future.

She said: "There have been several plane crashes in the past and there is nothing one can personally do about it."

Syeda Maheen Jafri, a Pakistani expatriate, expects a quality service that keeps the passengers satisfied.

She said: "I am not aware of the technicalities, so the make of an aircraft would not make a difference to me. However, the airline's service has to be good since that is what helps build a reputation."

Lim Norma, a Filipina expatriate, prefers to be aware of the make of the aircraft.

She said: "I usually check the aircraft type when travelling, but it is not that important. What matters most is the flight schedule, as that deciphers when I can visit my relatives back home."

The past record of an airline and its attempt to meet international standards does influence Norma's perception to a certain extent. Neekita Kashyap, an Indian expatriate, agrees.

She said: "For me, what matters most is the airline and before choosing a specific one I would look into its safety record. Other than that, before boarding a flight, I do make an effort to knowing what type of aircraft I will be travelling in."

Ayah Nofal Kahook, an American expatriate, makes a point to notice the make of an aircraft once on board.

She said: "The make does matter to me, as it signifies the comfort and safety levels on board. However, I would not be bothered about travelling on an A330 as long as it was my preferred airline."

Do you consider the make of a plane, before booking an air ticket? Are you more concerned about flight safety and air travel after this incident?

Your comments


The type of airctraft does not really matter however, the safety record of that aircaraft matters. A-330 has a record of many accidents whether taking off,landing etc. in different time frames. This worries me much about this type of aircraft.I am really concerned.
Nasser Samota
Muscat,Oman
Posted: June 10, 2009, 11:50

I always check the Aircraft type prior to making a booking. Mostly I prefer to travel by wide bodied jets than the single aisle aircrafts. I had always like to travel by A330 or A340 than the A320.
Siddharth Venkatachalam
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: June 10, 2009, 10:55

As for me, I go with the documented safety records of the company because it somehow provides us with a glimpse on how strict they adhere to the safety and maintenance requirement of a certain aircraft. A zero aircraft crash means a well organised maintenance system in-place, thus a higher percentage of safety.
Flex-J
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 10, 2009, 10:43

The Aircraft is not a worry at all, my biggest fear is the taxi to the Airport!!! in most countries the likely hood of been killed in a car en-route to the airport is is much higher than been killed on the flight.
Thomas J.
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 10, 2009, 10:14

I always consider the make of an aircraft before booking tickets for family and myself. I am quite aware of the differences, safety features and comfort levels the different makes provide and they're not the same as many unaware passengers may feel. I have always considered safety and maintenace records before choosing an airline.
Hussain
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 10, 2009, 08:23

Well since i used to be working with an airline company, i believe maintance is an important thing for their concern too as they dont want to lose an aircraft, i think going towards known airline companies does not mean flying safe they are technical problems its just like a car stops in the middle of the road. A330 is just a safe aircraft to travel in , all computerised system.
Hussain
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: June 10, 2009, 08:03

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