The International Air Transport Association, IATA, has unveiled its 2023 safety performance report, showcasing the impressive safety achievements of the African aviation sector.
The African region hasn’t had any deadly air travel accidents in the last three years. The overall accident rate has dropped significantly from 10.88 per million flights in 2022 to 6.38 in 2023, which is better than the five-year average of 7.11.
The report highlights the success of the African aviation industry in implementing improved safety measures. Since 2020, there have been no fatalities, jet hull losses, or deadly accidents. Additionally, there haven’t been any fatal turboprop accidents for the fifth time, with the first instance occurring in 2015.
In 2023, the overall safety standards in aviation saw significant improvements. The all-accident rate dropped to 0.80 per million flights, a notable improvement from the 1.30 rate in 2022. This marks the lowest figure in over a decade and surpasses the five-year average from 2019 to 2023, which was 1.19.
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The fatality risk also decreased to 0.03 in 2023, showing significant progress from the 0.11 reported in 2022 and the 0.11 five-year average from 2019 to 2023. According to the report, an average person would need to fly daily for over 103,000 years to encounter a fatal accident, which is a remarkable safety achievement.
Although there was one fatal accident involving a turboprop aircraft that caused 72 fatalities in 2023, it still represents a significant reduction from the five fatal accidents recorded in 2022. It’s important to note that IATA member airlines and IATA Operational Safety Audit, IOSA, registered airlines reported no fatal accidents throughout 2023.
The report also highlights a significant increase in aircraft movements in 2023. The total number of aircraft movements, including both jet and turboprop categories, reached 37 million, which is a remarkable 17% rise compared to the previous year.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, commented on the safety performance of 2023, emphasizing that flying remains the safest mode of transport. He noted that aviation prioritizes safety above all else, as demonstrated by the 2023 performance. Jet operations experienced no hull losses or fatalities, and 2023 saw the lowest fatality risk and ‘all accident’ rate on record.
However, Walsh also pointed out a single fatal turboprop accident with 72 fatalities, which serves as a reminder that safety should never be taken for granted. He mentioned two high-profile accidents in the first month of 2024, indicating that while flying is among the safest activities, there is always room for improvement.
Walsh affirmed that striving for improvement in safety has been a continuous effort in aviation history and will remain a priority to make flying even safer.
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