I see fully automated planes as a kind of "proof of stake" problem. Right now the person that makes the fly/no fly decision has his butt on the plane, he has a stake in a successful flight. I would have a problem with that call made by someone sitting on the ground.
I know it will eventually become the norm, and that there are incentives for airlines to make sure flying is safe, but a part of me can't give up the comfort of knowing I'm on a plane with the person who made the call to fly it.
I also wonder how, if they go fully automated, they handle the use case of a medical emergency. Who decides if the plan should land and where (the destination, on route, etc..)? It seems even if everything is fully automated they'll still be someone needed to make the final say (I guess the airlines would probably make this your customer service representative :)
Fully automated does not mean nobody from the company onboard, does it? Even assuming pilots have the final say about re-routing in case of medical emergency, I do not how they are better suited than a random flight attendant to evaluate medical conditions.
Thank you for calling the passenger emergency assistance hotline. We are experiencing high call volume and long wait times due to the covid-19 pandemic from 12 years ago. Your estimated wait time is 354 minutes.
I am with you on that, it makes perfect sense. I've come to accept that skepticism is healthy with things like this, it allows us to proceed with care and look at the issue from different angles. Plus, we've seen companies abuse our trust to gain a dollar.
I know it will eventually become the norm, and that there are incentives for airlines to make sure flying is safe, but a part of me can't give up the comfort of knowing I'm on a plane with the person who made the call to fly it.
Maybe I'm just getting old?