Episode description

On Monday, shortly after two in the afternoon, a Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis was cleared to land at Toronto Pearson International Airport. 

As the plane touched down, its right wing hit the ground, sparking flames. Passengers on the flight described a scene of metal scraping against cement as the wing was ripped off and the aircraft rolled, flipping onto its back and skidding before coming to a stop in a cloud of smoke and fire.   

This is just the latest in a string of high profile crashes over the last few months, and with stories of the sweeping changes to U.S. aviation regulators imposed by the Trump administration, travelers’ confidence in air travel has been shaken.

Washington Post reporter Lori Aratani joins us today to discuss what we know about the crashes, the problems plaguing the aviation industry and whether flying is actually getting more dangerous. 

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts