Nervous flyers, do yourselves a favor… don’t read the news

If you've been nervously clutching your armrest a little tighter before takeoff lately, you're not alone. The start of 2025 has seen an unsettling string of plane crashes, and it’s not the best PR for the airline industry. 

Social media is buzzing, nervous flyers are reconsidering their vacation plans, and conspiracy theorists? 

Well, they’re having an absolute field day.

From a mid-air collision over Washington, D.C., to a Delta Air Lines jet deciding that staying upright on a Toronto runway was too much to ask, the incidents have been piling up fast. 

A commuter plane disappearing in Alaska? Check. A medical transport plane crash in Philadelphia? Yep, that happened too. 

With so many flights not reaching their intended destinations, people are starting to ask: Is something more sinister going on?

The aviation debacle that is 2025...

Aviation experts, government officials, and industry insiders are scrambling to figure out why so many aviation accidents are happening in such a short time. 

The most logical explanation? It’s just really bad luck. 

Experts call it "random clustering", that is, a statistical quirk where unrelated events happen close together, making it seem like the problem is deeper than there is. 

But let’s not dismiss things too quickly. Some actual operational factors could be making things worse.

First, there’s a shortage of experienced air traffic controllers, which means the ones still on duty are overworked and stretched thin. This is not ideal when directing hundreds of aircraft in the sky. 

Then there’s pilot fatigue. The aviation industry is still recovering from the COVID-19 slump, and many training programs are behind schedule, leaving pilots and crew members running on fumes. 

And let’s not forget about aging aircrafts… some of these planes have been in service longer than TikTok has been around. Mechanical issues are bound to crop up.

Weather hasn’t exactly been helping, either. Several of these crashes occurred in rough conditions, adding an extra layer of difficulty to an already complicated job. 

So, while there’s no single reason behind this wave of crashes, it’s safe to say that a mix of human error, mechanical problems, and environmental factors are all playing a part.

But of course, not everyone is satisfied with logical explanations. 

Enter the internet’s favorite pastime: conspiracy theories.

Internet conspiracy theorists assemble!

Whenever something weird happens, you can bet there’s a corner of the internet ready to spin it into a grand conspiracy. 

Conspiracy theory #1:

Some people believe these crashes are not accidents at all, but acts of deliberate sabotage. A few internet detectives (read: guys with YouTube channels) have suggested that aircraft manufacturers — particularly Boeing — are up to something shady. Maybe it’s a geopolitical strategy, maybe it’s corporate greed, maybe it’s just a Monday.

Reality check #1:

There is zero credible evidence to support this. Boeing is under constant regulatory scrutiny, and if there were any kind of coordinated sabotage, it would have been exposed faster than a bad reality show scandal. Every crash so far is being treated as an accident, with no foul play detected.

Conspiracy theory #2:

Another theory suggests that hackers have figured out how to hijack flight systems, causing planes to malfunction mid-air. Given how dependent modern aviation is on automated systems, some find this theory plausible.

Reality check #2:

While cybersecurity is a genuine concern in aviation, no evidence has emerged linking recent crashes to hacking. Aviation security agencies have been monitoring this possibility, and so far, nothing suspicious has turned up. Planes are built with multiple redundant systems, meaning a hacker would have to break through a fortress of security layers to cause the kind of failures we’ve seen.

Conspiracy theory #3:

Of course, someone had to bring politics into this. Some commentators have tried to blame DEI hiring practices, arguing that airlines are prioritizing diversity over actual qualifications, resulting in unqualified pilots and air traffic controllers.

Reality check #3:

This claim is as baseless as a flat-earther convention. Aviation remains one of the most highly regulated industries, and every pilot, controller, and engineer—regardless of background—has to meet strict qualifications and training standards. The idea that airlines are hiring people who can’t do the job just for the sake of diversity is not backed by a single shred of evidence.

So, what is REALLY going on?

Despite the unnerving headlines, aviation officials are reminding everyone to keep things in perspective. 

Statistically speaking, air travel is still the safest way to get around. Your odds of being in a fatal plane crash are about 1 in 11 million. (For comparison, your odds of being struck by lightning? 1 in 15,300.)

That said, regulators and airlines are taking these crashes seriously. 

Air traffic control staffing issues are being addressed with recruitment drives, and new fatigue management protocols are under discussion to prevent pilots from flying while exhausted. 

Airlines are also stepping up maintenance checks to catch mechanical issues before they become serious problems.

Yes, the recent aviation incidents have been unsettling and it’s eerie that so many crashes have happened in such a short time. 

But this does not mean flying is suddenly unsafe, or that we’re living in some aviation-themed episode of Black Mirror.

While conspiracy theories will keep making the rounds, none of them hold up under scrutiny. 

The most likely explanation? A mix of bad luck, operational challenges, and environmental factors. 

So if you’ve got a flight booked, don’t panic. Just buckle up, enjoy your complimentary snacks (if they still give those out), and trust that the people in charge know what they’re doing. 

After all, despite everything, being in the air is still safer than being on the road... especially if you’ve ever seen how people drive after 5pm these days.