Airlines have an excellent safety record generally; but I have a relative who is a high-end consultant engineer. He used to do a lot of work with airlines on planned maintenance strategies. He doesn't now, on the grounds that he doesn't want to prejudice his professional reputation. He lives and works in the States, and travels about 150,000 miles a year on business in the USA; all by road. He used to fly, but since the cash squeeze hit the airlines, he doesn't. Draw your own conclusions.