Looking at Southwest is probably a good way to put the Boeing issues in perspective. It's easy to want to freak out over the negative headlines over the past few years, and the MCAS fiasco is a well-deserved black mark on Boeing's reputation.
But again, looking at bigger perspective, Southwest Airlines operates an all-Boeing fleet of 800+ airlines doing 4000+ flights per day. About a million and a half flights per year. And in their 50+ years of operation, there have been 4 deaths associated with Southwest flights, 1 of which was a suicide where a guy walked onto a runway and another was an unruly passenger who tried to storm a cockpit.
I don't want to let Boeing off the hook - their recent cock-ups absolutely seem to indicate cultural problems that need to be fixed so that quality can improve rather than continue to slide. But honestly, getting on a 737 Max to go on a trip still seems way safer than hopping on the highway.
But again, looking at bigger perspective, Southwest Airlines operates an all-Boeing fleet of 800+ airlines doing 4000+ flights per day. About a million and a half flights per year. And in their 50+ years of operation, there have been 4 deaths associated with Southwest flights, 1 of which was a suicide where a guy walked onto a runway and another was an unruly passenger who tried to storm a cockpit.
I don't want to let Boeing off the hook - their recent cock-ups absolutely seem to indicate cultural problems that need to be fixed so that quality can improve rather than continue to slide. But honestly, getting on a 737 Max to go on a trip still seems way safer than hopping on the highway.