The International Air Transport Association or the IATA 2024 Annual Safety Report reveals a strong but mixed performance. While improvements against five-year averages continue, there was a regression from 2023’s exceptional results. Here are all of the other important details that you would need to know about this particular report on safety in air travel.
IATA 2024 Annual Safety Report: Global Air Safety Declines
The all-accident rate stood at 1.13 per million flights (one accident per 880,000 flights) – better than the five-year average of 1.25 but slightly worse than 2023’s 1.09. Seven fatal accidents occurred among 40.6 million flights, compared to just one in 2023 and a five-year average of five.
On-board fatalities reached 244, higher than 2023’s 72 deaths but with fatality risk remaining low at 0.06. “Despite recent high-profile incidents, accidents remain extremely rare,” noted IATA Director General Willie Walsh.
He continued, “The long-term story is one of continuous improvement – a decade ago, the five-year average was one accident per 456,000 flights, compared to today’s one per 810,000 flights.” Key concerns emerged from the report. Two aircraft downed in conflict zones (Kazakhstan and Sudan) highlighted the importance of the Safer Skies initiative.
Other Key Findings From The Report
Tail strikes and runway excursions were the most common accidents, while GNSS interference incidents increased dramatically – jamming reports rose 175 per cent and GPS spoofing by 500 per cent, with hotspots in Türkiye, Iraq and Egypt.
Regional performance varied significantly. Africa recorded the highest accident rate at 10.59 per million sectors, while North Asia maintained the best safety record with just 0.13 accidents per million sectors. IOSA-registered airlines consistently outperformed non-registered carriers.
The report also flagged concerns about incomplete accident investigations. Only 57 per cent of investigations from 2018-2023 were completed and published as required by the Chicago Convention, with completion rates ranging from 75 per cent in North Asia to just 20 per cent in Africa.
Walsh emphasised that “accident investigation is a vital tool for improving global aviation safety,” calling incomplete reporting “completely unacceptable” and urging greater international cooperation to address capacity gaps in investigation expertise.
Cover Image Credits: Canva Pro Images
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