IATA releases 2018 airline safety performance

Rear view of young woman with luggage walking towards the airplane. Female traveler going on vacation
By Christian Fleetwood


The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) annual safety performance data shows a steady improvement in overall safety long term, but an increase in accidents compared to 2017.

The data, released in February this year, showed that 2018 was almost a unanimous improvement in terms of safety across all categories, including all accident rate, major jet accidents measured in jet hull losses, and in fatalities when compared to the previous 5-year period between 2013-17.

However, there was a general trend across each of these categories year-by-year, with the data from 2018 showing a drop in overall safety when compared to 2017.

“Last year some 4.3 billion passengers flew safely on 46.1 million flights,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA director general and CEO.

“[Last year] was not the extraordinary year that 2017 was. However, flying is safe, and the data tell us that it is getting safer.”

“Flying continues to be the safest form of long distance travel the world has ever known. Based on the data, on average, a passenger could take a flight every day for 241 years before experiencing an accident with one fatality on board. We remain committed to the goal of having every flight takeoff and land safely,” said de Juniac.

The IATA data does not taken into account the recent fatal Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashes, which resulted in catastrophic loss of life and the international recall and ban on MAX 8 aircraft.

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

iata

Latest News