If your Airliner has mechanical problems, should you be able to disembark if you don't feel safe?

Question

Especially when there is confusion as to the safety of the flight. Please read this article. Some of these people wanted off the Spain plain. The airline refused to let them off and they died after the 2nd attempt to take off. This is sickening and will be more prevalent in the days to come as airlines are cutting back.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080823/ap_on_re_eu/spain_plane_crash;_ylt=AjT6hSnia__R38WztFZ52Ck5bg8F

Answer 1

The cause of this crash has not yet been determined. If the temperature gauge was faulty, and would cause a crash, don't you think that the pilots would have refused to go? The odds are that this was a coincidence and the faulty gauge had nothing to do with the crash.

There are a lot of people who fly that are uneasy with normal operations. How can the average person determine whether a flight operation is unsafe? Should not this be left to professionals?

There was only one take-off attempt. The aircraft returned to the gate when the crew got a bad reading on the gauge, and had to return to the gate to call the company office.

There is no confusion to the safety of the flight. If flights cannot be made safely, then they are not made. Period.

Answer 2

there are always going to be rare and crazy cases like these, but most airlines aren't quite as incompetent (I hope...)

Answer 3

I can hear the lawyers swarming already...

I think they should let people off if there is a question about safety, and I definitely think it's wrong to force people to stay on the plane. Suggestion: if you're really desperate, try hitting someone or saying something like "I have a bomb on me, let me off". You'll probably be arrested, but at least you won't be on the plane.  

Answer 4

Yes Its the law.