Sarahjo,
OK, here goes:
The size of the aircraft doesn't matter, so long as it has gas turbine engines. All passenger aircraft now have turbine engines. Some of these turbines have a fan shaped propeller pushing the air (these are called turbofan engines) and some have a propeller shaped propeller pushing the air (turboprops). So all are powered by turbines, and so all are safe.
Here's a safe aircraft with props inside a case:
a319.jpg
And here's a safe aircraft with props not in a case:
dash8.jpg
Now, would a McDonalds manager eat out at a McDonalds? Probably not, because he knows what goes on.
The pilot community is small, and we all know many others that fly for many different airlines. These airlines all have different safety systems and cultures, and treat their employees differently.
And I would happily fly on
any European airline, with the exception of a small Italian one, and an Irish one. Purely because those two keep having remarkably close calls with the ground.
So don't worry about the aircraft, and don't worry about the airline, unless it's one that you know has had close calls. Try and think of the last incident involving a
UK airline - 1980's I think it was... You'll be fine. Don't forget to tell the crew that you're nervous though, they'll then look after you, and are quite used to it.