IATA Safety Report Reveals Training Priorities for Aviation Industry

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its 2024 Annual Safety Report revealing that whilst the industry delivered another year of strong overall safety performance, it took a step back from the exceptional performance seen in 2023, raising important considerations for aviation training professionals.

The all-accident rate of 1.13 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. 

Seven fatal accidents occurred among 40.6 million flights in 2024, a significant increase from the single fatal accident recorded in 2023 and above the five-year average of five fatal accidents. On-board fatalities increased to 244 in 2024, compared to 72 in 2023 and the five-year average of 144.

"Even with recent high profile aviation accidents, it is important to remember that accidents are extremely rare," said Willie Walsh, IATA's Director General. 

"A decade ago, the five-year average was one accident for every 456,000 flights. Today, the five-year average is one accident for every 810,000 flights."

For training organisations, the report's findings on accident types offer valuable guidance for curriculum focus. Tail strikes and runway excursions were identified as the most frequently reported accidents in 2024, suggesting these areas warrant particular attention in pilot training programmes. 

The report highlighted that airlines on the registry of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) demonstrated superior safety performance, with an accident rate of 0.92 per million flights, significantly lower than the 1.70 recorded by non-IOSA carriers. 

Regional safety performance varied considerably, with potential implications for regionally-focused training initiatives. Africa recorded the highest accident rate with 10.59 accidents per million sectors, exceeding its five-year average of 8.46. The IATA Focus Africa initiative, including the Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Program (CASIP), aims to address these challenges through targeted resources and support.

New and emerging threats identified in the report include a sharp rise in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference. Reports of such interference—including signal disruptions, jamming, and spoofing—surged between 2023 and 2024, with interference rates increasing by 175% and GPS spoofing incidents spiking by 500%. These developments may necessitate expanded training for flight crews on managing navigation system anomalies.

The report also notes rising conflict zone risks following the downing of two aircraft in conflict zones (Kazakhstan with 38 fatalities and Sudan with five fatalities), reinforcing the importance of the Safer Skies initiative.

A concerning trend in accident investigation completion was also highlighted, with only 57% of accident investigations from 2018-2023 completed and published as required by the Chicago Convention.  

"Accident investigation is a vital tool for improving global aviation safety," Walsh said. "To be effective, the reports of accident investigations must be complete, accessible, and timely."

Completion rates for accident investigations vary significantly across regions, with North Asia leading at 75%, followed by North America (70%) and Europe (66%), whilst Africa trails at just 20%. This gap in comprehensive accident data potentially limits the development of evidence-based training programmes.

Other regional findings of note include North America's improved accident rate of 1.20 per million sectors (down from 1.53 in 2023) and the growing challenge of integrating increasing space operations with traditional air traffic. The Asia-Pacific region saw an increase in its accident rate to 1.04 per million sectors (up from 0.92 in 2023) but remained below its five-year average of 1.10.

The report's release comes just ahead of WATS 25, with many of these findings on the agenda for world’s largest aviation training event. 

The event, the biggest of its kind, brings together the global aviation training community from airline training academies and universities, regional, national and international airlines, regulators and suppliers. 

Make sure you are part of that discussion at WATS 2025.

Register for WATS 2024!