The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Wednesday said the accident rate in 2010 for Western-built jet aircraft was the lowest in aviation history.
IATA, which represents some 230 airlines comprising 93 percent of scheduled international air traffic, said the 2010 global accident rate (measured in hull losses per million flights of Western-built jet aircraft) was 0.61, that is, one accident for every 1.6 million flights.
With 2.4 billion people flying safely on 36.8 million flights (28.4 million jet, 8.4 million turboprop) during 2010, the report is a significant improvement of the 0.71 rate recorded in 2009 (one accident for 1.4 million flights), and just below the 2006 rate of 0.65.
Compared to 10 years ago, the accident rate has been cut 42 percent from the rate recorded in 2001. A hull loss is an accident in which the aircraft is destroyed or substantially damaged and is not subsequently repaired.
IATA further detailed that there were 17 hull loss accidents involving western-built jet aircraft compared to 19 in 2009, 94 accidents (all aircraft types, Eastern and Western built) compared to 90 in 2009, 23 fatal accidents (all aircraft types) compared to 18 in 2009, and 786 fatalities compared to 685 in 2009.
“Safety is the number one priority,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO. “Achieving the lowest accident rate in the history of aviation shows that this commitment is bearing results.”
“Flying is safe. But every fatality is a human tragedy that reminds us of the ultimate goal of zero accidents and zero fatalities. We must remain focused and determined to move closer to this goal year by year.”
