The real problem is infrastructure, not vehicle safety. Roadways are open systems with infinite variables—weather, pedestrians, distracted drivers, and aging infrastructure. Communication between vehicles is minimal, and infrastructure is largely silent—and in that gap lies the potential for deadly collisions.
Letting the airline pick your seat might feel like the easiest option, but it often means ending up in less desirable spots-like middle seats, back rows, or areas near bathrooms and galleys.
Both of the Southwest pilots involved in this incident over the weekend told the air traffic controller that they received alarms from their collision avoidance systems that directed them to take action with one plane climbing while the other dove to avoid the potential midair collision.
"Storing your bag behind you often means you'll be forced to wait for nearly every other passenger to deplane before you can reach it. That can turn what should be a swift exit into a slow, frustrating slog,"