IATA: Despite conflict zone risks, 2024 another safe year for air travel
Despite recent high profile accidents, 2024 remained a good year overall for safe air travel, IATA’s 2024 Annual Safety Report shows.
It showed improvements on the five-year average for several key parameters, but it took a step back from the exceptional performance in 2023.
The all-accident rate of 1.13 per million flights (one accident per 880,000 flights) was better than the five-year average but worse than 2023.
There were seven fatal accidents in 2024, among 40.6 million flights. That is higher than the single fatal accident recorded in 2023 and the five-year average of five fatal accidents.
In total, there were 244 onboard fatalities in 2024, compared to the 72 fatalities reported in 2023 and the five-year average of 144.
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 accidents are extremely rare,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
The report’s key safety insights include rising conflict zone risks.
The downing of two aircraft in conflict zones (Kazakhstan with 38 fatalities and Sudan with five fatalities) has reinforced the importance of the Safer Skies initiative, established in the aftermath of the PS752 tragedy to facilitate safeguards in high-risk airspace.
Tail strikes and runway excursions were the most frequently reported accidents in 2024, underscoring the importance of take-off and landing safety measures.
Accidents and incidents related to conflict zones are a top concern for aviation safety requiring urgent global coordination.
“No civil aircraft should ever be a target—deliberate or accidental—of military operations. Governments must step up, enhance intelligence-sharing, and establish clearer global protocols,” said Walsh.
Regional Safety Performance
North America: The most common accident types in 2024 were tail strikes, followed by runway damage and runway excursions. While no accidents have been linked to debris from space operations, the increasing number of rocket launches presents challenges for air traffic management.
Asia-Pacific: With seven accidents in 2024, the all-accident rate increased from 0.92 per million sectors in 2023 to 1.04 in 2024 but remained below the five-year regional average of 1.10. There was no dominant classification for accidents in the region which included tail strikes, runway damage and turbulence, among others.
Africa: With 10 accidents in 2024, the all-accident rate rose. Africa recorded the highest accident rate, though the fatality risk remained at zero for the second year in a row. The most common accident types in 2024 were runway excursions, followed by those related to landing gear.
Related News Stories: IATA: Despite conflict zone risks, 2024 another safe year for air travel IATA Releases 2024 Safety Report - IATA IATA 2024 Safety Report New Updates: Accidents Rise Slightly ... IATA Annual Security Report IATA Annual Safety Report 2024 | EASA Community Safe Airspace – Conflict Zone and Risk Database IATA reports increased aviation accidents in 2024, urges global ... IATA's 2024 Aviation Safety Report: 10 Key Insights Quantifying civilian aircraft vulnerability: A data-driven approach in ... Air Travel in 2024 Hits 40.6 Million Flights, 7 Fatal Accidents
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.
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
San Antonio on the Rise: David Gonzalez Talks Travel, Culture, and Growth
Anna Marie Presutti on San Francisco’s Tourism Revival and Global Outlook
Exploring Brooklands Museum with Alex Patterson
British cruise guests arrested for skipping onboard bill
Royal Caribbean issues Legionnaires’ disease warning
Aer Lingus revs up for Europe’s only direct Indianapolis route
Payday booking spikes replacing traditional peaks
Affordable Luxury Travel rebrands to Luxtripper