It's not enough that airlines charge you for only one piece of checked luggage. Or that they no longer provide free beverages on flights. Nope. Instead, they have to turn everyone's biggest fear into a reality.

Before I got a car I would fly to and from home during my breaks from school. Each time I stepped on the plane, as neurotic and irrational as it may be, I silently contemplated what would happen if something went wrong on the flight. I would look for exits and wonder if I would die a horrible, bloody death. But then I would relax and recite and tidbit of maybe-true information I had heard somewhere, that flying was safer than driving. Besides, the reason we only hear about airplane crashes is because they are so few and far between. But Denver is not some tiny country tucked away somewhere where we don't have to worry. The passengers on that plane could have been any one of us. I just don't see how it's alright for airlines to be so negligent. If there was a problem with the engine then they should have waited until there wasn't a doubt in sight that the plane was safe to board. In the long run, people would rather be inconvenienced than dead. Who knows what really happened. Maybe it was just some sort of unfortunate freak accident that could not have been detected until it was too late. Or maybe the workers were anxious to get the plane on its way and fudged a little bit. At least no one was killed. Still, I feel like airlines, car companies and every major player in this country are unconcerned with the quality of their products and the wellbeing of citizens and solely focused on money. I think it's inexcusable that a plane from a major airline would crash and burn, literally. Yes, not every accident can be prevented, and there are risks to every form of transportation, but still, that just doesn't seem like a good enough excuse to me. Then airlines wonder why they are bankrupt. Because flying is miserable and expensive and having your plane crash really doesn't help matters any. I sincerely hope none of us will have to read about something like this anytime soon.