Fear of flying is a strange thing. In the early days of flight, those who wanted to be airborne were considered crazy. These days, those who don't are seen as odd. Even habitual flyers engage in reassurance rituals: from prayers and hand-holding to pills and alcohol. That people get on aeroplanes at all is a matter of trust. They believe they are well made, that pilots are well trained and the industry well regulated. In its 103-year history, Boeing, the world's largest aircraft manufacturer, has sought to build that trust with a safety-first culture. This has been thrown into disarray since two of its 737 max passenger jets crashed in Indonesia in October and Ethiopia in March, killing all 346 passengers and crew on board.
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