Global plane crash deaths rose despite air traffic decline
Despite air traffic plummeting in 2020, the number of fatalities caused by air accidents was up.
There were 299 deaths in commercial air crashes globally last year, up from 257 in 2019, according to aviation consultancy To70.
It is a big jump in the fatality rate based on the number of flights, which decreased by 42% in 2020.
It said there were 0.27 fatal accidents per million flights against 0.18 fatal accidents per million flights in 2019.
Most of the deaths came from two incidents including the shooting down of a Ukraine International Airlines flight by Iran armed forces.
Another 98 people died in May 2020 when a Pakistan International Airlines flight crashed near Karachi.
This was mostly attributed to pi;ot error.
To70 said there were only 40 commercial air accidents last year, compared to 86 in 2019.
Only five of these caused one of more fatalities.
Written by Ray Montgomery, Asia Editor
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt