Recent Airline Incidents Raise Concerns But Officials Emphasize Flying Remains Extremely Safe

Recent headlines about planes having issues have raised concerns about flight safety, but by most measures flying remains extremely safe with no fatal U.S. airline crashes in 15 years.

While the lack of crashes shows safety, other measures like pilots declaring emergencies have ticked up recently, indicating shrinking margins of safety.

Many recent incidents involve Boeing planes, damaging the company's reputation. Issues range from design flaws to manufacturing defects.

Not all incidents are Boeing's fault - some point to airline maintenance lapses, pilot errors, etc. Aviation officials say flight control, engine and structural issues are most serious.

Officials say vigilance has contributed to the long stretch without fatal crashes. The challenge is maintaining safety despite recent concerning events.