IATA’s 2023 Annual Safety Report: Zero Jet Fatalities

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its 2023 Annual Safety Report, revealing significant advancements in global aviation safety.

According to IATA, the report highlights a year of “best-ever” safety parameters, with no hull losses or fatal accidents involving passenger jet aircraft. Aircraft movements in 2023, encompassing both jet and turboprop, increased by 17% from the previous year, totalling 37 million.

Aviation Safety in 2023: What the IATA Report Reveals

• The all accident rate improved to 0.80 per million sectors in 2023, down from 1.30 in 2022. This is the lowest rate in over a decade and outperforms the five-year (2019-2023) rolling average of 1.19.
• The fatality risk improved to 0.03 in 2023, down from 0.11 in 2022 and the five-year average of 0.11.
• IATA member airlines and IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registered airlines experienced no fatal accidents in 2023.
• A single fatal accident occurred in 2023, on a turboprop aircraft, resulting in 72 fatalities. This is a reduction from five fatal accidents in 2022 and an improvement on the five-year average of five.

Regional Safety Performance – Africa

The all accident rate in Africa improved from 10.88 per million sectors in 2022 to 6.38 in 2023, better than the 5-year average of 7.11. In 2023, there were no fatalities.

This region has had no jet hull losses or fatal accidents since 2020. Additionally, 2023 marked the fifth occurrence of Africa reporting zero fatal turboprop accidents, with the first instance recorded in 2015.

“We can never take safety for granted. And two high profile accidents in the first month of 2024 show that, even if flying is among the safest activities a person can do, there is always room to improve. This is what we have done throughout our history. And we will continue to make flying ever safer,”

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Under the Focus Africa initiative, IATA introduced CASIP to enhance aviation safety in Africa. CASIP efforts are continuing to partner with states to increase the implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).

The Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) as well as the AFI Regional Aviation Safety Plan for Effective Implementation (EI) of ICAO ISARPs have increased the minimum SARPs implementation threshold to 75% or greater (from 60%).

IATA notes that only 12 of Africa’s 54 states meet this new threshold, indicating the need for significant improvements.