LSAT 130 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q18

LR Question 18 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Travel agent: Although most low-fare airlines have had few

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Reasoning

CONCLUSION: Passengers are safer on major airlines.

REASONING: Major airlines have long standing statistical records of accidents.

ANALYSIS: There is a difference between having a long standing record and having a good record. The author is assuming major airlines have good records. (If they did, this would be a reasonable argument.)

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1. The point was that small airlines haven’t had enough time to develop accident records. If major airlines had the same number of accidents, that would mean they had a low number of accidents. (And therefore that they had good safety records.)
2. This didn’t happen. The author explicitly avoided making this error. They said it was too soon to tell whether the new airlines were safe.
   Example of flaw: The new airlines have had a low total number of accidents. Therefore they are safe.
3. CORRECT. Indeed. There is a difference between having records, and having records that indicate safety!
4. This wouldn’t matter. Once you have reasonably reliable records, it doesn’t matter whether you are “the most reliable” or simply “very reliable”. Both are good enough!
   After all, you don’t demand that your airline pilot is the best airline pilot. He just has to be good enough to avoid crashes!
5. Actually, the argument didn’t say this. Having some accidents would be fine: even small airlines have had some. Perfect safety records are impossible.