No, you’re not imagining it, according to the International Air Transportation Association (IATA), an aviation industry trade body that represents more than 340 airlines around the world, flying got more dangerous in 2024, although the risk of being involved in an accident remains incredibly low.
Yesterday, IATA published its annual safety report for 2024, and one of the key takeaways from the publication was the tragic fact that there were seven fatal accidents worldwide last year – up from the single fatal accident in 2023 and higher than the five-year average.
The number of onboard deaths also ballooned from 72 in 2023 to 244 fatalities last year, way above the five-year average of 144 onboard deaths per year. That being said, the onboard fatality risk remained low at just 0.06.
Despite recent events, including the collision of a Blackhawk helicopter with an American Airlines regional jet on approach to Washington Reagan Airport last month, which killed all 67 people on both aircraft, IATA said the airline industry remains very safe.
“Even with recent high-profile aviation accidents, it is important to remember that accidents are extremely rare,” reassured Willie Walsh, former chief executive of European airline group IAG and current director general of IATA.
“There were 40.6 million flights in 2024 and seven fatal accidents. Moreover, the long-term story of aviation safety is one of continuous improvement,” Walsh continued.
According to IATA, just a decade ago, the five-year average accident rate was one accident for every 456,000 flights. Now, the five-year average is one accident for every 810,000 flights.
“That 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 sympathies and ever-greater resolve to make flying even safer,” Walsh continued.
In 2024, IATA recorded 12 notable accidents across North America and the all-accident rate in the region has improved from 1.53 per million sectors in 2023 to 1.20 in 2024.
Although there have been no accidents linked to space debris, IATA has rung the alarm about how a massive increase in operations from the likes of SpaceX and Blue Origin could impact aviation safety and cause strain on air traffic control.
Around the world, the most common accidents were tail strikes and runway excursions, although IATA also warned about the risk to civilian airliners flying in conflict zones – such as the downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines regional jet which killed 38 people.
In order to make flying even safer, IATA has called on governments not to delay accident investigations or bury the findings for political purposes – a particular concern with the Azerbaijan Airlines crash.
Ironic that IATA is concerned about Space X & Blue Origin while at the same time some member airlines are crowing about their improved inflight WIFI . ( For example, Starlink with its 1000’s of low orbiting satellites! )