Why are airlines not required by law to update their planes more often and use newer models? Many commercial planes being used today are older than most people on this website.

Question

Is there no safety issue there?

In: Other

Answer 1

Older models are perfectly safe in most cases. Old airframes are often refreshed with upgraded avionics and other components on a periodic basis. However if an aircraft is kept in good repair there’s no reason it can’t fly more or less indefinitely.

Short-haul operators tend to wear out airframes the quickest (landings are high stress events) but with good inspections and upkeep even they can keep them in the air for 20 years.