Different types of flying and their safety record
There are a multitude of options when it comes to taking to the sky, from a trip to Australia by scheduled airline,
a short flight in a friend’s private aircraft or a champagne balloon flight.
Each comes with different levels of safety oversight and risk. Below are some examples and statistics to provide you
with more information to be able to make informed decisions on the type of flying you want to do.
Commercial airline flights
As you would expect this area of aviation has the highest levels of safety requirements and regulatory oversight.
All aspects of these flights – the airlines, pilots, maintenance, air traffic controllers and so on all have to hold the
highest level of licences and approvals. The CAA spends a considerable amount of time inspecting all areas of the
operations and working with the airline industry to continually improve safety standards.
There is an average of one fatality for every 287 million passengers carried by UK operators. This can be compared
with a one in 19 million chance of being struck and killed by lightning in the UK or a one in 17,000 chance of being
killed in a road accident.
Despite our excellent safety record, the UK is still active in identifying potential causes of accidents and
reducing their likelihood so that safety can be continuously improved.
International aviation safety
The safety record of civil aviation in individual countries is available via the independent Flight Safety
Foundation website.
Refusal of access to European skies
Certain airlines are banned from operating in European airspace (including UK airspace) because they are found to be
unsafe and/or they are not sufficiently overseen by their authorities.
The list of banned airlines is drawn up by the European Commission in close consultation with the aviation safety
authorities of all European Union Member States.
Access the list of banned airlines