Is air travel riskier than it’s ever been?

As authorities continue to probe the disappearance of EgyptAir Flight 804, many passengers are left wondering about the dangers they might face on their next flight.

Is flying becoming more perilous?

Quite the contrary, experts argue.

As 2016 progresses, it is shaping up to be one of the safest years for aviation in recent memory.

“We’re surpassing the 10-year average with only eight accidents and 167 fatalities, compared to the usual 10 accidents and 205 fatalities,” said Geoffrey Thomas, aviation expert and editor of Airlineratings.com, in an interview with Dinogo.

Examining the data

Experts argue that just counting crashes or fatalities doesn’t give a full picture of safety. The overall volume of air traffic must also be taken into account.

According to figures from the International Air Transport Association, over billion passengers flew safely on 37.6 million flights in 2015 (31.4 million by jet, 6.2 million by turboprop).

In a report released earlier this year, AirlineRatings.com stated that 2015 was a safer year for aviation compared to the previous year.

The report references data from Aviation-Safety.net, which records 16 air accidents resulting in 560 fatalities—below the 10-year average and an improvement over 2014, which saw 21 fatal accidents and 986 deaths.

“If you look back 50 years, there were a staggering 87 crashes claiming 1,597 lives, even though airlines only carried 141 million passengers—just 5% of today’s volume,” the report stated.

There were two major air travel incidents in 2015.

In March, a Germanwings Airbus A320-211 crashed into the French Alps, killing all 150 people on board.

It was later revealed that pilot Andreas Lubitz, who had a history of suicidal tendencies, deliberately caused the crash.

Is it safe to fly?

In October, 224 lives were lost when a Russian Metrojet Airbus A321-231 disintegrated shortly after takeoff from Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport in Egypt.

The tragedy was initially attributed to a bomb attack by the terrorist group ISIS. While investigations continue, early intelligence reports have also suggested terrorism as the cause.

Evaluating airline safety

Each year, AirlineRatings.com releases a list of the world’s safest airlines.

The rating system considers audits from aviation regulatory bodies, leading associations, government reviews, and an airline’s accident history.

It also evaluates airlines’ operational track records, incident histories, and overall operational performance.

According to the website, 148 out of the 407 airlines surveyed have achieved the highest seven-star safety rating, while nearly 50 airlines received three stars or fewer.

If an airline experiences a crash resulting in the death of passengers or crew members, it will automatically lose one star in its safety rating.

EgyptAir holds a safety rating of 5 out of 7 stars.

A total of 10 airlines, all based in Nepal, Indonesia, or Suriname, have earned only one or zero stars.