Let's also keep in mind that airlines aren't making the calculation of balancing delay-hours against lives-lost. They are making the calculation of lives-lost

Let's also keep in mind that airlines aren't making the calculation of balancing delay-hours against lives-lost. They are making the calculation of lives-lost and delay-hours against dollars. Meanwhile, passengers largely assume they won't die regardless of which airline they pick, and happily take absurd delays and unnecessary connections in exchange for lower ticket prices time and time again.