The rich and famous A-listers who fly in private planes are often the envy of travelers around the world – but the reality is they’re far more likely to die in a fiery crash than commercial passengers.
The ultrarich are often considered untouchable, with longer life expectancies and money to burn. But when it comes to air travel, money doesn’t necessarily buy safety.
From President Donald Trump to the Kardashians and Taylor Swift, elites live a life of luxury travel that most can only dream of, but the tragic deaths of stars like singer Aaliyah and baseball star Cory Lidle serve as a constant reminder of the dangers.
‘I am convinced it’s the single most seductive experience in the world,’ Tina Brown, former Vanity Fair editor, told the outlet.
‘You realize there is no one you wouldn’t kill, betray, or sleep with to ensure a lifetime of luxe relief from the armpit of mass transit.’
Yet those who fly privately are at a significant disadvantage with much greater odds of being killed in a tragic fireball wreck.
Indeed, there is a much darker aspect of the privilege. The one thing the life of glitz and glamour in the air doesn’t offer is more safety.
‘The normalization of flying around in private jets leads the public to believe it’s safer than driving on the freeway,’ Amy Fulmer, the friend of a victim from a fatal jet crash, told Vanity Fair. ‘The only time they learn otherwise is when it’s too late.’
The image of the rich and famous jetting off to different locations on board their luxurious private jets may be appealing, but the likelihood that they’ll go down in flames is much higher than the average commercial flight
Over the last five years, private jets have seen an average of three fatal crashes a year in the United States, most of them killing everyone on board
The most recent fatal commercial wreck in the US was back in 2009, when an aircraft crashed and took the lives of all 50 passengers on board while approaching Buffalo, New York
Over the last five years, an average of three fatal private jet crashes take place each year in the United States, most of them killing everyone on board.
On the contrary, the most recent fatal commercial wreck in the US was back in 2009, when an aircraft crashed and took the lives of all 50 passengers on board while approaching Buffalo, New York.
So why is jet-life – through all its promise of exclusivity, convenience, freedom and status – that much more dangerous than flying commercial?
Those with enough money to own their own plane are seemingly in the position to check for themselves whether it is safe or not. So if they make a wrong decision, it’s on them.
Everyday travelers don’t have this problem. It is not their duty to make sure everything is operating correctly. They simply show up to the airport, go through security, board the plane and wait for takeoff – all thanks to the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA.
‘The job of the Federal Aviation Administration is to protect the unknowing public,’ Fred Lee, a former pilot who conducts seminars about air-charter operations with the agency, told Vanity Fair.
Singer and actress Aaliyah is just one celebrity who died from a private jet crash back in 2001
The crash that killed Aaliyah occurred shortly after takeoff from Marsh Harbour Airport in the Bahamas
The pilot, who was unqualified to fly the plane and was found to have traces of cocaine and alcohol in his system, was killed along with all nine people on board
With a surge in private jet usage, inexperienced pilots have become essential in jetting around the rich and famous, leading to a greater possibility of hazards.
There is a shortage of skilled pilots as fewer young people dream of having a job in the skies above.
The military has been struggling to train enough pilots for years. Some of these struggles include inadequate funding, longer training times, lack of flight instructors and pilot retirements.
Commercial airlines have been competing with the military for pilots as airlines raise their salaries and successfully lure in those from smaller operators.
‘The situation has been years in the making, and it is incredibly challenging,’ Sheryl Baden, the CEO of the recruiting agency Aviation Personnel International, told Vanity Fair.
‘You can’t make a pilot overnight – and we didn’t make them for so long, and now we have a big gap.’
In other words, pilots who were once happy flying private jets around are ditching the life of glam for day-to-day travelers and a higher paycheck – ultimately leaving behind the rookie pilots to take their place.
Those with enough money to own their own plane are seemingly in the position to check for themselves whether it is safe or not, while travelers on commercial airlines don’t have to check safety features before takeoff (pictured: George Clooney arriving in Vienna, 2022)
In 2006, Yankee pitcher Cory Lidle was killed after a Cirrus SR20 plane slammed into a 50-story skyscraper in New York City’s Upper East Side
Federal Aviation Administration records showed that the plane was registered to Lidle who repeatedly assured reporters that flying was safe before the fatal crash
A large proportion of private-jet accidents, especially in recent years, have involved careless piloting – small, fatal accidents that are rarely seen in commercial aviation, Vanity Fair reported.
In 2021, pilots of a Challenger jet landing in California rushed their landing for no good reason. The aircraft lost control and corkscrewed into the ground.
Nearly two months later, a CitationJet crashed while attempting to take off from Connecticut due to the pilot forgetting to disengage the parking break.
In January of 2023, pilots of an Embraer Phenom light jet hurried their departure from Utah and ended up veering off the centerline during takeoff before wobbling in midair and crashing.
The very same year, a real estate agent, the owner of a car dealership and a newly minted pilot were among the six California residents killed in a crash near an airport just outside of Los Angeles.
Riese Lenders, the pilot of the fatal flight, was coming back from a short Las Vegas weekend trip. Before departing, he indulged in a drink.
By the time he was ready to land, the fog had pushed in from the coast – making visibility only three quarters of a mile with clouds hovering just 300 feet overhead.
Although he knew that he needed to file a new flight plan, he was tired and his copilot was legally intoxicated.
Surprisingly, a large proportion of private-jet accidents, especially in recent years, have involved careless piloting – small, fatal accidents that are rarely seen in commercial aviation
Older and smaller private jets, which have less technological advancements overall, dominate the lower end of the market, leading to an increased risk in fatal wrecks
There have been 16 fatal private-jet incidents in the US since the start of 2020. Nearly half of them involved Citations – an aircraft that makes up just one third of the jet market – and the average age of 33-years-old
After one unsuccessful attempt, he decided to turn around and try again instead of heading to another airport.
Ultimately, the jet impacted a gully – or a deep ditch cut by running water – just 800 feet short of the runway, killing everyone instantly before bursting into flames.
‘Many pilots have crashed trying to re-fly the same approach, no doubt after convincing themselves the ceiling or visibility was going to somehow rapidly improve,’ Ian Twombly, aviation-expert, told Vanity Fair.
Another factor is the condition of the jet itself. When you think of private jet fliers, you probably think of them riding in the newest, top-of-the-line aircrafts. In reality, many private fliers do just the opposite.
Planes such as a seven-passenger Cessna CitationJet Model 525 costs $6 million brand new, but for a 44-year-old model, you can expect to pay $500,000 or less.
These older and smaller planes, which have less technological advancements overall, dominate the lower end of the market.
There have been 16 fatal private-jet incidents in the US since the start of 2020. Nearly half of them involved Citations – an aircraft that makes up just one third of the jet market.
Of those involved in the fatal accidents, the average age of the jet was 33-years-old.
Flights conducted for personal use, or non-paying passengers such as family or a personal company, operate under Part 91 rules. These so-called rules have very few regulations or restrictions
Commercial aviation follow strict government rules outlined in hundreds of pages of fine print, ultimately making it safer to fly
Part 135 rules are another set of regulations that govern air-charter operations and are far more strict but people find loopholes to skip the lengthy process of obtaining a certification
Citations pose a completely separate risk factor as most of them can be flown by a single pilot. Despite making them more affordable to operate, the dangers of the sole pilot experiencing a technical problem or medical emergency in flight can quickly lead to a tragic end.
In simpler terms, the smaller and older the plane – many of which are flown by less experienced pilots – the higher the risk of a fatal wreck.
Commercial aviation also follows strict government rules, like stowing tray tables and announcing smoke detectors and exits.
Flights conducted for personal use, or non-paying passengers such as family or a personal company, operate under Part 91 rules. These so-called rules have very few regulations or restrictions.
Part 135 rules are another set of regulations that govern air-charter operations and are far more strict.
For example, the rules require operators to obtain a document called an air carrier certificate, or a document ensuring the plane meets all the minimum standards to fly.
Part 135 rules limit the number of hours that pilots can fly per-day. A pilot flying with a copilot can fly up to a 10-hour stretch, but an airline pilot can fly no more than eight hours.
With a surge in private jet popularity, inexperienced pilots have become essential in jetting around the rich and famous due to a shortage of skilled pilots, leading to more hazards (pictured: Russell Crowe arriving to 57th International Film Festival in 2023)
Pilots who were once happy flying private jets around are quickly ditching the life of glam for day-to-day travelers and a higher paycheck – ultimately leaving behind the rookie pilots to take their place
‘The job of the Federal Aviation Administration is to protect the unknowing public,’ Fred Lee, a former pilot who conducts seminars about air-charter operations with the agency, told Vanity Fair