We all can agree 2025 has been a rollercoaster. Recently, on January 29th, American Airlines experienced a horrific crash. Such a crash had been unheard of since the last crash, a Ford 5-AT-C Trimotor in August 1931. Several members of the figure skating community were boarding the jet. It was a devastating midair crash between a military Black Hawk helicopter and an American airlines commercial plane outside Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. All 67 people on both aircrafts died including mothers, fathers, coaches, ice skaters, and future stars.

After this shocking incident, many people were terrified to travel, and some people stopped flying altogether. Following the event, a video of passengers evacuating from a smoking Delta Air Lines plane after it caught fire,on X gained millions of views. Later, two more near misses in Chicago and Washington DC occurred in the first weeks of 2025. Katherine Miranda, a junior at ERHS mentioned how she feels about the plane crash incident in Washington DC, saying, “I think it’s very sad that nobody in the plane crash survived, they were important people to everyone’s lives, and we lost good people because of the failed responsibilities of the airports.” Katherine Miranda also mentioned “I wouldn’t feel safe traveling, I would wait until I see updates and awareness being spread of traveling being safe to do again.”

Although, The Washington D.C airplane crash and other crashes were anomalies, they highlight a need for improvements in air travel, better flight regulations, and better safety to prevent future tragedies. Whether it was caused by pilot error or mechanical malfunctions, this still holds true.