Aviation passengers may worry the most during mid-air turbulence, but a transport expert has revealed the most dangerous moment during a flight happens when aircraft are much closer to the ground. Mary Schiavo, a CNN Transportation Analyst and former US Department of Transportation Inspector General, has shared the moment during every flight that poses the highest risk, and it’s one that every traveller experiences.

“Descent and landing are the absolute most dangerous time,” she explained in a recent interview. “It is just really a critical time, especially for mid-airs and collisions, etc.” According to Schiavo, while takeoff also presents its own challenges, such as aircraft entering the runway without clearance or engine failure shortly after liftoff, it's the approach and landing phases that account for the highest number of accidents.