Da'Jae Allen 
Some of you may remember the Delta plane that, not too long ago, flipped upside down and crashed while attempting to land. Although 20 out of 80 people on board sustained injuries, none of them were fatal. It feels like every other week the news is reporting yet another airplane crash.
Recent high-profile aviation incidents have made it seem as though plane crashes are at an all-time high, making many traveling people worry about their safety.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, there have been 94 aviation accidents so far this year. 63 in January and 31 in February. @flywithsam_ is a flight attendant Tik Toker who has been attempting to dissuade anxiety around flying after receiving multiple comments about people’s worries. One commenter, Olivia Ames, wrote, “I’ve been flying since I was 3 and was never scared. Now I’m nervous to ever fly again.” With spring break coming up for most college students, how are recent incidents and ensuing nerves affecting people’s travel plans?
Ka’Jean Tallette, sophomore mechanical engineering major, says that he isn’t all too anxious at the moment but feels “as though [he] should be and is wary of it,” but plans to focus on the actual trip to get through the flight.
Sophomore psych major Chanalé Berdin on the other hand, says she “definitely thinks that [her] flying anxiety has increased”. However, she believes that her faith in God “is something that keeps [her] on planes.”
Faith Townsell, a sophomore poli-sci major, usually takes the train to and from her university. So while devastated, she didn’t have any anxiety attached to the situation. She also recognizes that “these types of crashes have always happened” and more recently have gained a lot of public attention.
It seems that while there is now a newfound, stronger, general worry and anxiety surrounding plane travel, students are working to find ways to ease their discomfort so that they can go through with flying as they originally planned for this upcoming spring break. This is exactly what everyone should be doing. While recent crashes are devastating, the numbers for 2025 aren’t all that shocking. Ninety-four is actually the lowest number of aviation incidents in the period of Jan-Feb since 1981.
It’s understandable to feel uneasy right now in light of recent events, but it’s crucial to remember that air travel remains one of the safest forms of transportation. As college students head into spring break, it’s important to focus on the excitement and opportunities of their destinations rather than letting fear overshadow their experiences. By maintaining a calm and rational perspective, students can board their flights knowing that air travel remains a highly regulated and safe mode of transportation.
By Da’Jae Allen, Sophomore, Howard University
Instagram: @dajae.10
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