Airlines Prioritize Ads Over Safety, Survey Reveals!
76% of flyers say airlines neglect safety for publicity.
A staggering 76% of respondents in a nationwide online survey believe Indian airlines are funneling more funds into publicity than passenger safety, according to LocalCircles. The survey, which gathered 44,000 responses across 322 districts, comes amid a string of alarming aviation incidents, highlighting growing concerns about safety in India’s skies.
The survey revealed that 64% of respondents experienced at least one rough flight in the past three years, marked by challenging takeoffs, landings, or inflight incidents. Notable recent events include the tragic crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad last month, claiming 241 of 242 passengers and 19 on the ground. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing the incident, with a preliminary report already submitted.
On Monday, an Air India Kochi-Mumbai flight narrowly escaped disaster after veering off the runway during landing, severely damaging the aircraft. That same day, another Air India flight from Delhi to Kolkata aborted takeoff due to a technical snag, while an IndiGo flight from Goa made an emergency landing over a landing gear issue. Additionally, a SpiceJet Goa-Pune flight caused panic when its exterior window frame detached mid-air on a Bombardier Q400.
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When asked, “Do you believe India-based airlines are spending more on publicity than safety?” 43% of 26,696 respondents said “yes, all of them,” 33% said “yes, some of them,” 11% said “no, none of them,” and 13% gave no clear answer. The survey also found that 75% of 17,630 respondents reported over 50% of their flights in the last three years were rough or traumatic, with issues during takeoff, landing, or inflight.
Of the respondents, 63% were men and 37% were women, with 46% from Tier 1 cities, 25% from Tier 2, and 29% from Tier 3, 4, 5, and rural districts. LocalCircles emphasized that these findings underscore a critical need for airlines to prioritize safety over promotional efforts to restore passenger confidence.
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