The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its 2024 annual safety report. The industry recorded another year of strong overall safety performance, including improvements over the five-year average for several key metrics, but fell short of its stellar performance in 2023.

- The total accident rate of 1.13 per million flights (one accident for every 880,000 flights) was better than the five-year average of 1.25 but worse than the 1.09 recorded in 2023.

- There were seven fatal crashes in 2024, out of 40.6 million flights. This is more than the single fatal crash recorded in 2023 and the five-year average of five fatal crashes.

- There were 244 shipboard deaths in 2024, compared to 72 deaths reported in 2023 and the five-year average of 144. The fatality risk remained low at 0.06, below the five-year average (0.10), although double the 0.03 reported in 2023.

"Even with recent high-profile aviation accidents, it is important to remember that these incidents are extremely rare. There were 40.6 million flights in 2024 and seven fatal accidents. Furthermore, the long-term history of aviation safety is one of steady improvement. A decade ago, the five-year average (2011-2015) was one accident for every 456,000 flights. Today, the five-year average (2020-2024) is one accident for every 810,000 flights. This improvement is because we know that every fatality is one too many. We honor the memory of every life lost in an aviation accident with our deepest condolences and an ever-increasing determination to make flying even safer. And for that, safety data collection, including the 2024 Safety Report, is our most powerful tool", said Willie Walsh, IATA's Director General.

Key safety information includes:

- Rising risks in war zones: The downing of two planes in conflict zones (Kazakhstan with 38 victims and Sudan with five victims) has reinforced the importance of the Safer Skies initiative, established to facilitate safeguarding in high-risk airspace, following the tragedy of PS752 (i.e. the scheduled air link between Tehran in Iran and Kiev in Ukraine. On 8 January 2020, a Boeing 737-800 operating the service was shot down minutes after take-off from Tehran-Imam Khomeini airport, killing all 176 on board. It was one of the most serious incidents on Iranian soil. In essence, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps opened fire on the plane, mistaking it for a US retaliatory missile, Editor's note).

- Most common incidents: Tail-end collisions and runway excursions were the most frequently reported incidents in 2024, underlining the importance of safety measures during take-off and landing. In particular, there were no controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) incidents.

- Airlines registered in the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) register - including all IATA member airlines - had an accident rate of 0.92 per million flights, significantly lower than the 1.70 recorded by non-IOSA carriers.

Conflict Zones: The Need for Action

Accidents and incidents related to conflict zones are considered safety events and are not included in this report. Although they do not appear in the data of this study, these, together with the increasing incidents of interference of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), are a major aviation safety concern that requires urgent global coordination.

"No civilian aircraft should ever be a target, whether deliberate or accidental, of military operations. Governments must step up, improve intelligence sharing and establish clearer global protocols to prevent such tragedies and safeguard civil aviation", Walsh stressed.

The integral version of the report (six pages), including tables, is attached below to this AVIONEWS.