Critical Reasoning

Abolition of government regulation of airfares has increased competition among airlines and thus will eventually lead to compromises in airline safety. Anxious to reduce fares in what has, as a result of deregulation, become a highly competitive market, airlines will be tempted to reduce costs by decreasing safety inspections and routine maintenance of aircraft.

Which of the following, if true, would cast the most serious doubt on the prediction that deregulation of airfares will ultimately compromise airline safety?

(A) Consumers select an airline as much on the basis of its safety record as on the basis of its fares.
(B) There are a number of mechanical problems that cannot be detected in the routine inspection of aircraft.
(C) The amount of commercial air traffic has increased significantly since the regulation of airfares was abolished.
(D) The number of airline bankruptcies has increased since the regulation of airfares was abolished.
(E) When airfares were regulated, airlines were more inclined to invest in the development of new aircraft.

Please explain your choice OA later

Fairly easy this one (i hope)



(A) Is the correct answer. If safety was just an important a factor as airfare, airlines would only be harming their business if they compromised safety in place of reduced airfares. Hence they would be just as inclined to ensure that they maintain required safety standards if they want to continue to be attractive to consumers.


(B) Irrelevant. The argument claims that airlines will REDUCE safety inspections and does not care about what problems can or cannot be detected during inspections.

(C) Irrelevant. Increased air traffic does nothing to prove that safety standards are not being compromised.


(D) I feel sorry for the airlines here but this choice is also irrelevant for the same reason cited in (C)

(E) Irrelevant. See (C)

SmarpanGamt wrote:Abolition of government regulation of airfares has increased competition among airlines and thus will eventually lead to compromises in airline safety. Anxious to reduce fares in what has, as a result of deregulation, become a highly competitive market, airlines will be tempted to reduce costs by decreasing safety inspections and routine maintenance of aircraft.

Which of the following, if true, would cast the most serious doubt on the prediction that deregulation of airfares will ultimately compromise airline safety?

(A) Consumers select an airline as much on the basis of its safety record as on the basis of its fares.
(B) There are a number of mechanical problems that cannot be detected in the routine inspection of aircraft.
(C) The amount of commercial air traffic has increased significantly since the regulation of airfares was abolished.
(D) The number of airline bankruptcies has increased since the regulation of airfares was abolished.
(E) When airfares were regulated, airlines were more inclined to invest in the development of new aircraft.

Please explain your choice OA later

answer here is also A,
i checked several website in which it posted the answer, some posted the answer's A some is E
so whats the answer?

I chose B
If routine inspections cannot determine number of problems then such inspections overlooked problems earlier too.

The answer should be A.
Conclusion:Abolition of government regulation of airfares has increased competition among airlines and thus will eventually lead to compromises in airline safety

But what if consumer select airlines based on safety parameter only and if safety records are not good for one company then they will not choose that one.

Answer should be A