Harry, obviously you have experience with flying these planes, and there were design flaws with the set up (which they tried to address in the DC9) - but the stats show that the MD80 is one of the safest passenger jets ever made.

nik, london, uk

The old DC 9 and renamed MD80 plus has always been an unsafe aircraft coming from someone flying the blasted thing on and off for 40 yrs. Its setup was wrong from the start and a supercritical wing didnt help either, they were cheap and retiring em now wd bankrupt airlines. rock and hard place

Harry Boerma, St James, Barbados

But just why are MD-82 planes still are allowed to fly ? That plane is a disaster. I will never get on board. Remember the West Caribbean crash in Venezuela with passengers going back to Martinique from Panama ? All dead !!

Daniel, Paris, France

It is best to fly with solvent, non-budget airlines on Boeing/Airbus with a union pilot (ie highly-trained -often ex-military- not overworked, can't be fired for refusing to fly shoddy plane).

Such airlines carry too many rich people to risk their lives- their families can afford lawsuits.

Lizzie, London,

Here in Fuerteventura, Spanair are notorious for making late (fuel-saving) turns onto finals. Not necessarily dangerous, but quite dramatic.
It's also about time that a safety zone around runways was required. We have a gas station directly under final approach, then a nasty gully.

Paul M, Puerto del Rosario, Spain

Spanair is most certainly not a budget airline. It competes with Iberia, not Easyjet and Ryanair.

Andrew, Bilbao, Spain

The whole country is terrified, how could this happen? We hope that this serves as a lesson to 1. NOT USE THE SAME PLANE IF IT HAS PREVIOUSLY HAD PROBLEMS & 2. LET PASSENGERS GET OFF THE PLANE.

letty, madrid, spain

This problem exists in America too.
The airlines say that because our mechanics are held by law to higher standards that even though they get pay cuts they will always still do there best to insure conformance to FAA standards.
I call that unfounded optimism.
Don't fly if crews aren't happy!

steve, newark ca., usa

All airlines are concerned for their profits - of course they care about safety, but some are now taking risks based on previous 'false alarm' experiences in the search to save money. Why was the field a 'tinder box' allowed next to the runway? Where was the 'low ignition' fuel additive? All so sad.

Steve Wegerif, Nuneaton, UK

Lets' hope that the people at the top of this airline are punished if they have been cutting corners and ignoring safety operating procedures. By punishment I mean charged with murder or manslaughter and stuck away for the rest of their lives.

Michael, Bracknell, UK

Given the stupendous increase in air travel over the last ten years this should be used as a warning sign about the dangers of taking things for granted.

Marek, London,

Mike Cooper, your point is not only unimportant but totally irrelevant. Was it made out of vanity, lest anyone think you took low cost flights?

Alan Leishman, Manchester, UK

let us all prey for the poor souls who lost their lives and the grieving relatives.

rosa wolson, durham, england

i think indirect blame goes to oil speculators in new york for such high rise in fuel

andy, cambridge, england

Good question. Worse is when the TV crews shove cameras and microphones in their faces so we can all watch them weep. They might as well poke them with a stick and say "go on, cry won't you". Why is such treatment of the bereaved normal?

Luke, Hereford, U.K.

It might seem unimportant after such a tragic accident but your article today about Spanair defending the take off describes them as a budget airline. I find this quite misleading. Their schedule domestic flights have always cost around the same as Iberia and Air Europa with higher quality service.

Mike Cooper, Marbella, Spain

Just so sad for those who lost their lives and for the friends and relatives who will grieve for them.

Let us trust that the Spanish Authorities do all that they can to help those involved.

Willie Mac, Arden, Scotland

Why do newspapers have to publish photographs of distraught family members and friends at these times? What does it add to the story? I think we might guess that knowing your relative has been burnt to death is somewhat upsetting.

S. Turner, Fife, UK