AIRLINE SAFETY POSTURE - EVIDENCE FROM SERVICE-DIFFICULTY REPORTS

This study looks at the concept of airline safety posture. This concep t is introduced to reflect how well an airline is positioned for safet y operations. Fortunately, airline accidents are far too rare for mean ingful statistical analysis of airline safety. However, the incidence of incidents that could represent safety hazards but do not necessaril y result in accidents is relatively frequent and lends itself to such analysis. Difficulties encountered during operation are usually report ed as service difficulty reports (SDRs). Despite the many problems in the reports, not the least of which is inadequate reporting, the write rs use SDRs as an indicator of safety posture. A statistical analysis suggests that airline deregulation has not adversely affected the safe ty posture of airlines. It is also found that the safety posture of po stderegulation new entrants is not significantly different from that o f established airlines. There is evidence that the larger carriers hav e a better safety posture than the smaller ones, and that service diff iculties increase with stage length.