To SunInMyEyes,
"Pan Am 214 was brought down by a lightning strike in 1963 only 4 years after the Boeing 707 was introduced. Boeing redesigned the fuel vent outlets so it could not happen again. It is not really appropriate to use that accident which happened 46 years ago to substantiate your argument of how dangerous lightning strikes can be."
Yes, but if you read my post, I'm talking about positive lightning. The re-designing of fuel vent outlets will have made absolutely no difference to the outcome of a positive lightning strike to any aircraft as positive lightning was only discovered in the 70's.
Data from the National Transportation Safety Board on lightning-related incidents in the US from 1967-93 recorded 40 lightning-related aircraft accidents. There were 10 commercial airplane accidents reported, 4 of which were associated with 260 fatalities and 28 serious injuries.
I don't believe lightning applies to Air France here, but it is not as benign as folks make out.