KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 – Last year was the safest year for global commercial aviation with jet accident rate declining to its lowest of one accident every 4.4 million flights, despite the two tragic incidents of MH370 and MH17.
However, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said total fatalities increased to 641 in 2014 compared with the average of 517 fatalities per year recorded for the five-year period of between 2009 and 2013. In a statement, IATA said this was an improvement over the global hull loss rate in 2013, which stood at an average of one accident every 2.4 million flights.
On the disappearance of MH370, the association said the industry welcomed the proposal by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to move towards the adoption of a performance-based standard for global tracking of commercial aircraft, supported by multi-national operational assessments to evaluate impact and guide implementation.
IATA Director-General and Chief Executive Officer Tony Tyler said the unacceptable shooting down of MH17, which claimed 298 lives, had driven governments and industry to find ways of reducing the risk of flying over conflict zones. “This includes better sharing of critical information about security risks to civil aviation.
“We are calling on governments to find an international mechanism to regulate the design, manufacture and deployment of weapons with anti-aircraft capabilities. “The greatest tribute that we can pay to those who lost their lives in aviation-related tragedies is to continue our dedication to make flying even safer. And, that is exactly what we are doing,” Tyler said.
To improve aviation safety, IATA has created the Global Aviation Data Management programme, which would analyse reports covering accidents, incidents, ground damage, maintenance and audits, plus data from nearly two million flights and over one million air safety reports. The would enhance aviation’s ability to identify areas of concern before they rise to the level of potential threats.
