The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently released its 2024 annual safety report. The numbers included in the report reveal that the entire air transport industry remains one of the safest forms of transportation, demonstrating a trajectory of improvements in rolling average figures over the past five years. However, 2024 safety did not emulate the unprecedented low levels recorded in 2023. This turned out to be the safest year for commercial airline travel.
In 2024, IATA reported an accident rate of 1.13 flights per million flights. This amounted to one accident per 880,000 flights. This figure has improved over a five-year average of 1.25, but worse than the 1.09 record in 2023. In 2024, there were seven fatal airline accidents with 40.6 million commercial flights. This is comparable to one fatal accident recorded in 2023 and five years of fatal accidents, five years of fatal accidents a year.
In 2024 there were 244 onboard deaths (figures containing both passengers and crew). This is comparable to the 72 deaths and 144 five-year averages reported in 2023. The risk of death remained low at 0.06, falling below the five-year average of 0.10, but doubles the 0.03 reported in 2023.
“Even with recent famous aviation accidents, it's important to remember that accidents are extremely rare,” said Willie Walsh, director of the IATA. “There were 40.6 million flights in 2024 and seven fatal accidents. What's more, the long-term story of aviation safety is one of the continuous improvements. Ten years ago, the five-year average (2011-2015) was one accident for every 456,000 flights. Today, the five-year average (2020-2024) was one accident for every 810,000 flights.”
“The improvement is because we know that all the fatalities are too many. We are honouring all the lives of our lives lost in an aviation accident with our deepest sympathy and greater determination to make it even safer. That's why our accumulation of safety data, including the 2024 safety report, is our most powerful tool,” Walsh added.
Report background
Tail strike and runway excursions were the most frequently reported accidents in 2024. It says it “emphasizes the importance of takeoff and landing safety measures.” In particular, there were no controlled flight-in-rirain (CFIT) accidents in 2024.
Meanwhile, two aircraft down in the conflict zone (Azerbaijan Airlines in Kazakhstan, which had 38 deaths in December 2024, was holding Sudan's new Way freight carrier IL-76 in October 2024, and five fatal deaths) contributed to 43 of the 43 fatalities in 2024.
Accidents and incidents related to the conflict zone are considered security-related events and are not included in the IATA report. However, the increase in interference incidents in the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is the number one concern for aviation safety and requires urgent global coordination, says IATA.
“Military aircraft are the targets of military operations and should not be intentional or accidental. Governments must step up, strengthen intelligence sharing and establish clearer global protocols to prevent such tragedy and protect civil aviation,” Walsh said.
Decompose regional numbers
In North America, there were 12 accidents in 2024, with the accident rate improving from 1.53 per million sector in 2023 to 1.20 in 2024. This figure was better than the region's five-year average of 1.26. Fatal risks have remained zero since 2020. The most common type of accident in 2024 was tail strikes, followed by runway damage and runway excursions. Although the accident is not related to debris from space operations, Iata says he is increasingly concerned about the growing number of rocket launches and the challenges pose to air traffic management.
Seven accidents occurred in the Asia-Pacific region in 2024, with the accident rate rising from 0.92 sector in 2023 to 1.04 in 2024, but below the five-year regional average of 1.10. The fatal risk had not changed from 2023 at 0.15. According to the report, in 2024 there was no dominant cause of local incidents or accidents. This included tail strikes, runway damage and turbulence, among other reasons.
Africa had 10 accidents in 2024, with the accident rate rising from 8.36 sectors per 8.36 sector in 2023 to 10.59 in 2024, exceeding the five-year average of 8.46. The most common type of accident in 2024 was runway excursions, followed by those related to landing gear failures. 40% of all African accidents in 2024 were related to turboprop aircraft.
Two accidents in the Middle East and North Africa in 2024 have improved the accident rate from a sector 1.12 accident per 1.12 sector in 2023 to 1.08 in 2024. This figure was better than the region's five-year average of 1.09. Fatal risks have remained zero since 2019. During that time, there have been no accidents related to GNSS interference, but they have emerged as a key area of concern for local air traffic.
The Independent United Union (CIS) did not witness any accidents in 2024, but the accident rate has improved from 1.05 accidents per sector per 1.05 sector in 2023 to zero in 2024. The fatal risk has remained zero since 2022, according to the IATA, adding that security risks related to GNSS interference and local conflicts remain important concerns about aviation safety in the region. Iata said that ongoing geopolitical relationships with the CIS region cannot guarantee the quality of data related to the air safety of the region.
With nine accidents in Europe in 2024, the continental accident rate increased slightly from 0.95 per million sector in 2023 to 1.02 accidents in 2024. This rate is comparable to the region's five-year average accident rate of 1.02. The fatal risk rate increased from zero in 2023 to 0.03 in 2024. The largest percentage of accidents was associated with tail strikes followed by runway excursions.
One accident in North Asia in 2024 saw the accident rate rise slightly from zero per million accidents in 2023 to 0.13 in 2024. Fatal risks remained zero since 2022.
Finally, there were five accidents in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2024, with the accident rate increasing from an accident of 0.73 per sector in 2023 to an accident of 1.77 in 2024. This was better than the average of 2.00 in five years. The fatal risk increased from 0.00 in 2023 to 0.35 in 2024. The largest proportion of accidents was related to tail strikes.
summary
The 2024 IATA report offers both positives and negatives to the air transport industry. The fact that there have only been seven fatal accidents on 40 million commercial flights remains a surprisingly low figure. However, this report highlights where there is clearly room for improvement.
2025 has already begun badly for the aviation sector, with two notable fatal accidents (US Eagle in Washington, DC, and jeju air boeing 737 in Muang, South Korea) already remaining nine months a year. When IATA publishes its next safety report in February 2025, it's only time to know how many people this number will be.
