Ministry for the Margin of Error

Statistical tailspin

Jim_Fitzpatrick_Labour.jpgSome good news for the Gord! Air rage is down! According to this release on the Government News Network:

The figures for the year 2006-07 show that

* the total number of reported incidents of disruptive passenger behaviour rose from 1359 to 2219, of which 2161 were classified as significant and 58 as serious;

* the main contributory factors to disruptive behaviour were alcohol and tobacco;

* the chance of an individual passenger boarding a flight on which a serious incident took place was around one in 18,000 in 2006-07. This is an improvement on one in 16,000 in 2005-06.

Aviation minister Jim Fitzpatrick gave himself a pat on the back, but hang on a minute. The total number of incidents goes up by 64%, but the chances of some deranged Scouser knocking you round the head on his way to Benidorm goes down by, er, another number? How does that work?

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 6 Dec 2007 12:50 PM.  There are 2 comments so far. 
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2 Comments

Devil's Kitchen said:

Er... Because an awful lot more people are flying places?

DK

6 Dec 2007 1:43 PM
Lloyd Shepherd said:

Well, yes, obviously. But the numbers would have to have doubled in a year to make those stats work, wouldn't they?

6 Dec 2007 1:49 PM