Newbie question

It is safe enough and there are thousands of tourist flying in with major trekking companies both local and international using it.

When you read those exaggerated media and online airport safety reports you need to understand what the safety statistics are and often the crashes are above average in comparison to other places, so even though the average crash rate might be twice or whatever, it might be like 2 crash per 1000,000 landings instead of 1 so not practically significant. The aviation safety figures for Lukla and Kathmandu are here https://aviation-safety.net/database/airport/airport.php?id=LUA and not many. https://aviation-safety.net/database/airport/airport.php?id=KTM Same.

If you find that is not acceptable to you then consider land transport but the road is not yet all the way to Lukla and it’s very rough and long 10-12 hours on undeveloped road and the bus traffic safety is very bad.

The walk into Lukla instead of flying is very beautiful and worth it, but many newbies think the extra 7-8 days is impossible for the wrong reasons. It will depend on what kind of Trekker you are, in a hurry, not so fit or mentally can not take it when in fact you can. Refer to the many past forum posts on this.

If you cannot understand and handle these type of risks the whole trek will be a problem for you.

Two points to consider, and third as a bonus:

1) comparing air and road safety is quite impossible, but I would say there is no difference in the probabilities of getting involved in a plane crash or traffic accident when getting to Lukla. At least 100000 people fly to/from Lukla each year, and accidents happen only now and then. They always get to the news, while jeeps dropping of the highways get just 2 columns on the local paper. Certainly the statistics are not good compared to some other more civilised and flatter countries, but nothing can be done about that. Except not going.

2) If you walk in the trek will be longer that is for sure, but is it really more expensive also? First you save the flight ticket price. Secondly, when comparing prices you need to calculate same amount of time, not comparing 16 day trek to 24 day trek, but 16 day trek + the cost of 8 days somewhere else to the 24 day trek. Trekking in lower Khumbu is always cheaper than living in Kathmandu, for example.

and the bonus 3) Many older and more experienced trekkers just love the slow on foot approach to Khumbu from Jiri, or now from Salleri. It is real trekking in still fairly pristine areas, and it gives immense satisfaction to approach the mountains under your own power. The views from Traksindu are quite unbelievable, especially in moonlight. I have walked the route 5 times and would do it again.

Road safety is as much, or more of a concern, in Nepal as air safety. But no need for paranoia either.

It alwsys surprises me how many tourists stress about possible plane crashes and are then happy to get on any crappy old bus, with a driver tearing around corners using his mobile phone,and 1000m drops on the left and on the right...

OP there is a very small risk.That is life.Even if you stay at home locked in your house,there might be an earthquake or a meteor strike...

Maybe you should not have asked about the flight safety, when the only consolation we can give is to say roads are likely to be worse...

Anyway, when flying to Lukla the views are stunning, and you will be petrified for only the last 3 minutes of approach and landing. If you take a jeep to Salleri you will be scared stiff for 6 hours at least, and another 6 hours just medium scared.

I'd rather fly. Unless wanting to walk the hike-in trail, which I normally do.

Actually the road to Salleri is scenic, and rather good by Nepalese standards.

3) Many older and more experienced trekkers just love the slow on foot approach to Khumbu from Jiri, or now from Salleri. It is real trekking in still fairly pristine areas, and it gives immense satisfaction to approach the mountains under your own power. The views from Traksindu are quite unbelievable, especially in moonlight. I have walked the route 5 times and would do it again.

Amen to that!

Anyway, as for the dangers of flying I think the same applies to Nepal as in most countries, that the most dangerous part is the taxi to and from the airports.
Another option is obviously to spend your whole life in protection of your mother, but that may not be very much fun either.

Alot of foreigners died in Nepal plane crashes . The planes in Nepal are old and safety is almost an afterthought . The mechanics are just young farmer boys who have done a couple of semesters at Katmandhu College of Technology . Add to this the extremely dangerous conditions the pilots have to fly into, mountain walls with a 269 degree turn on a sixpence . they literally catapult the planes into the air the runways are so short . Always a good idea to avoid flying there and walk everywhere ..

They must have been hard at work building then . A couple of years ago and we were driving through fields and down riverbeds for part of the way .