I wrote recently about the mass exodus of travelers from Malaysia Airlines and pondered the reasons why this happens – and why it seems to defy logic.

Well, over on the City-Data forums theropod has launched a poll asking which “Airliners you don’t trust?” that has generated a terrific discussion in which travelers list which airlines they won’t fly and why – and many of the responses are rational, if disputable:

I wouldn’t fly an airline that’s on the FAA or EU lists as banned from landing in their airspace for safety concerns ~beachmouse

How could you not have put Asiana Airlines on this list? They had pilots fly trans-Pacific routes who never flew that type of plane before!! ~james777

I wouldn’t trust Iran Air as I believe they have aging aircraft which can’t be maintained properly due to sanctions of the West. ~Chava61

Several other travelers say safety concerns have nothing to do with why don’t trust certain airlines:

I also wouldn’t fly Air France again, because their seats and service suck. ~annerk

I wouldn’t fly Spirit or Ryan because I’m not big on companies that actively hate their customer base. ~beachmouse

Air Koryo (Beijing to Pyongyang, the only 1-star airline certainly lived up to expectations, words cannot describe the experience, you just have to experience it yourself to see how far behind this airline company is, don’t ask for any pictures, I didn’t take any out of morbid fear the flight attendants would turn me in if they found out) ~IAmARandomAnonymousUser

Sadly, but I suppose not surprisingly, Malaysia Airlines tops the poll of least trusted airlines at the time of this writing.

Read the thread in its entirety: Airliners you don’t trust?