The trap phrase there is "passengers .. want to be safe", when what it really means is "passengers . . want to feel safe". The vast majority of aviation consume

The trap phrase there is "passengers .. want to be safe", when what it really means is "passengers . . want to feel safe". The vast majority of aviation consumers can't possibly make any sort of informed decision about safety or maintenance requirements, so what they're really buying is the experience of safety. Which of course is why regulation becomes necessary. We could say a whole bunch of other things about when companies or people value the lives of other people - and when they decide not to - but that's tap dancing around other topics I'd rather not bump into on HN.