The crash in Madrid has surprised experts in the aviation industry. It was the first at Barajas airport since 1983. Experts say Spanair – a subsidiary of Scandinavian Airlines Systems – has a good safety record, and flight JK5022’s MD-82 medium-range single-aisle plane is seen as a safe workhorse.

Like other carriers, Spanair has struggled with high fuel prices in recent months. It had already the lay-offs of more than a thousand staff and cuts to routes. Just hours before the crash, Spanair’s pilots had threatened to strike.

The plane’s two so-called “black boxes” have been recovered, which may reveal the reasons for the crash.

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