No, It's Not Getting More Dangerous To Fly
Summary
Galen Druk and Harry Enten discuss how recent high-profile aviation incidents have eroded public trust in flying, with data showing a partisan split where Democrats and Independents are significantly less confident than Republicans. They analyze how political polarization influences perceptions of safety and government competence, drawing parallels to economic sentiment and historical eras of division. The episode concludes with a trivia segment ranking American attitudes toward various airline etiquette behaviors.
Topics discussed
Intro and banter with Harry Enten
Recent plane crashes and rising public anxiety
Personal stories of flying fears and turbulence
Comparing air travel safety to driving and trains
Data on commercial vs. general aviation safety trends
Runway incursions and the role of luck in safety
Partisan polarization in trust of airline safety
Political influence on perceptions of government agencies
Sponsors: Wise and San Pellegrino Chow
Polarization in economic views and historical parallels
The crumbling of postwar political consensus
Trivia: Ranking least permissible airline behaviors
Outro and Hulu ad for Furious
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