by Jen Mallia
Last updated: 12:20 PM ET, Wed February 26, 2025
When compared with the five year average for airline safety, 2024 ranks well, according to a newly released report from IATA. When measured against the numbers from 2023 though, last year’s global airline safety took a dip.
IATA is confident air travel remains overwhelmingly safe, despite the fall between 2023 and 2024. “Even with recent high profile aviation accidents, it is important to remember that accidents are extremely rare,” says Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “There were 40.6 million flights in 2024 and seven fatal accidents.” For context, that is higher than the single fatal accident recorded in 2023 and the five-year average of five fatal accidents.
Safety by the Numbers
When measured globally, the all-accident rate of 13 per million flights (one accident per 880,000 flights) was better than the five-year average of 1.25 but worse than the 1.09 recorded in 2023. When looking specifically at North America, the numbers are a bit better. The report states: “With 12 accidents, the all-accident rate improved from 1.53 per million sectors in 2023 to 1.20 in 2024 and was better than the region’s five-year average of 1.26. Fatality risk has remained zero since 2020. 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.”
Walsh calls the story of aviation safety one of continuous improvement. “A decade ago, the five-year average (2011-2015) was one accident for every 456,000 flights. Today, the five-year average (2020-2024) is one accident for every 810,000 flights,” he says. “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. And for that, the accumulation of safety data, including the 2024 safety report, is our most powerful tool.”
Threats to Aviation Safety
One of the main challenges to aviation safety in 2024 was fallout from conflicts and wars. Because accidents and incidents related to conflict zones are considered security-related events they were not included in this report. But the threat such conflicts pose to air travel was highlighted, noting the downing of two aircraft in conflict zones (Kazakhstan with 38 fatalities and Sudan with five fatalities) which reinforced the importance of the Safer Skies initiative, established in the aftermath of the PS752 tragedy to facilitate safeguards in high-risk airspace.
“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 to prevent such tragedies and safeguard civilian aviation,” says Walsh.
The other challenge stems from growing incidents of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference, which the report stated “are a top concern for aviation safety requiring urgent global coordination.” Furthermore, the report noted that reports of GNSS interference (signal disruptions, jamming, and spoofing) surged between 2023 and 2024. Interference rates increased by 175%, while GPS spoofing incidents spiked by 500%.
"The sharp rise in GNSS interference events is deeply concerning. Reliable navigation is fundamental to safe and efficient flight operations. Immediate steps by governments and air navigation service providers are needed to stop this practice, improve situational awareness, and ensure that airlines have the necessary tools to operate safely in all areas," says Walsh.
The full report, including an interactive safety report component can be found on www.iata.org/en/publications/safety-report.
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