IATA report reveals 2023 the safest year for flying

2023 was the safest year for flying, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) annual safety report for global aviation. The record results for safety come amongst 37 million aircraft movements in the year, marking a 17% increase from 2022. There were no hull losses or fatal accidents involving passenger jet aircraft in 2023. However, the report does detail one fatal accident involving a turboprop aircraft which resulted in 72 fatalities. Yeti Airlines’ ATR 72 crashed in Nepal in January 2023, which resulted in the death of all 72 people onboard. “A single fatal turboprop accident with 72 fatalities, however, reminds us that we can never take safety for granted,” said IATA director general Willie Walsh. “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.” The report noted that the fatality risk had improved to 0.03 in 2023, an improvement from the 0.11 rating from 2022 to 2019. The report said: “At this level of safety, on average a person would have to travel by air every day for 103,239 years to experience a fatal accident.” IATA member airlines and IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registered airlines experienced no fatal accident in 2023.