How to tell the age of the plane you’re flying on
Following last week’s fatal incident on a Southwest flight, where one passenger died after nearly being sucked out of a plane window, there are renewed concerns over aircraft safety.
Many people have wondered how an aircraft’s age and condition affect the safety of the plane.
While modern-looking planes might seem more reliable, experts say aircraft maintenance rather than age is what matters most.
“The age of an aeroplane is a legitimate question. Is my aircraft flight-worthy? Do you see signs of wear and tear on the interior – tattered seats, musky smell, panels coming off the ceiling, frayed carpeting or yellowing on the sides of the wall?” Christopher Elliott, a travel writer and co-founder of the advocacy group Travelers United, told MarketWatch.
“All of those things can be a sign that you’re on an older or, more worrisome, an improperly maintained aircraft.”
The average age of an aircraft varies per region.
In America, by 2023 the average age of the operating fleet is estimated to be 12.2 years, according to MarketWatch. In Africa, it is 12.7 years, Eastern Europe 10.2 years, Western Europe 10.6 years, Latin America 9.2 years, Asia-Pacific region 8 years, Middle East 7.2 years and China 5.9 years.
“Aircraft lifespan is established by the manufacturer and is usually based on takeoff and landing cycles,” the FAA’s John Petrakis told Smithsonian’s Air & Spacemagazine.
“The fuselage is most susceptible to fatigue, but the wings are too, especially on short hauls where an aircraft goes through pressurisation cycles every day.”
There are even some planes that have lasted a few decades.
“There are 747s out there that are 25 or 30 years old,” Petrakis said.
“One of the standard jokes in the aviation business is a customer asking if the aeroplane is safe, and the pilot saying, ‘How do you think it got this old?’” Bruce Landsberg, former president of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Air Safety Institute, told Condé Nast Traveler.
Sites like AirFleets.com will help you estimate the age of an aircraft.