Aircraft age is not a safety factor. However, if the aircraft is older and hasn't been refurbished properly, it may cause flyers some inconvenience such as overheating, faulty air conditioning, or faulty plumbing in the lavatory.

Yes, a 15-year-old plane is considered perfectly safe and actually quite standard for commercial aviation. In the industry, planes are generally categorized as "new" (under 10 years), "standard" (10–20 years), and "old" (20+ years). Many major airlines, including Delta and Lufthansa, operate fleets with an average age near 15 years. The key to aircraft safety is not the year it was built, but its maintenance history. Commercial planes undergo rigorous, mandatory inspections ranging from daily "pre-flight" checks to "D-checks," where the entire plane is essentially taken apart and every single bolt is inspected. Over a 15-year lifespan, many of the plane’s critical components, including engines and avionics, will have been replaced or upgraded multiple times. Statistically, there is no correlation between an aircraft's age and its accident rate up until about 27 years of age. While a 15-year-old plane might have a slightly more "dated" interior or less efficient fuel burn, its structural integrity is maintained to the same high FAA or EASA standards as a brand-new aircraft.