New Technology Promises Safer Travel For Anxious Flyers

Nowadays, there are many ways to travel the world. Even hopping from one city to another is easier in this present age; travelers can simply hop on a train, ride a ship, or take a car. Nevertheless, many people prefer air travel over any other mode of transportation. The simple reason is that it is faster than other means of traveling and far more convenient.

However, a lot of people are still uncertain about the safety of air travel, especially with sudden disappearances of airplanes, the recent number of plane crashes, and the security in the airport – thus causing them to avoid traveling altogether, especially to faraway places.

Security, specifically, continues to be the primary problem in the world of aviation. Hartsfield– Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, one of the world’s busiest airports, is now working on enhancing their security systems. They are implementing advanced detection scanners for bombs and other explosive devices after al Qaeda in Yemen revealed new bomb–making instructions.

The news comes in light of the recent tragedies concerning air travel: the loss of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 flying from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Beijing, China and months after that, the AirAsia flight QZ850, which lost contact with air traffic control en route to Singapore.

Last February, the TransAsia crash in Taiwan also created doubts regarding airline companies producing qualified or well-trained pilots, especially when it comes to the proper handling of planes during crucial times. According to Boeing Company, by the year 2035, Asia will need to hire about 216,000 new and well-trained pilots, rather than just meeting the unanticipated travel demand in the region.

To alleviate this concern, a new tracking technology is being developed in countries like Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia. This new technology is designed to aid air traffic controllers to track airplanes every 30 to 40 minutes given that the plane’s tracking equipment is working properly.

Although this new technology will help to keep track of airplane betters, it would not be different than the current system if the plane’s tracking equipment is shut down. Still, this upgrade is a step up for the progress of the aviation system and can be a gateway for the development of more comprehensive technologies in the future. Everyday, the aviation industry seems to be striving toward the betterment of air travel and is continually looking for ways to accelerate technological advancement to make every passengers’ travel safe and cost-efficient.