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So a security-conscious traveler should avoid first class? I find it quite ironic that one pays for a less safe but more comfortable seat

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You'd want to look at the stats another way too, though: per air mile traveled, how much more likely are you to die sitting in first class. The answer is probably "not that much", so it makes sense to enjoy the comfort.

> "not that much"

true. but, the issue here could be life&death!

...just another justification for living frugal and paying for cheap airline tickets.

If the difference is .0000001 % vs .0000002 %, then it doesn't really matter, does it? You're probably more likely to increase your statistical lifespan by taking a bus to the airport instead of driving, or eating a bit less fatty foods, or something else.

One thing that always annoys me a bit is when people say "life is priceless" -- because our behavior is certainly not consistent with that. We could save many human lives via a myriad of expensive policies -- for example, requiring all cars to have tank-like protective shielding. The fact that these policies are not implemented implies that we're perfectly happy to place a price on human life -- it's just a question of which particular policies save enough lives to justify the cost.

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