Flying is safe, says IATA

Flying remains the safest form of long-distance travel, with accidents extremely rare, stresses the International Air Transport Association, releasing its 2025 Annual Safety Report.

Globally in 2025, the accident rate was 1.32 per million flights — or one accident per 759,646 flights — according to IATA. This was an improvement on 2024’s 1.42, but above the global five-year average of 1.27.

There were 51 accidents in 2025 from 38.7 million flights compared with 54 accidents from 37.9 million flights the previous year, but again higher than the five-year average of 44 accidents.

Eight accidents in 2025 were fatal, with 394 onboard fatalities — up on 2024’s seven fatal accidents resulting in 244 onboard fatalities. The most common accidents were tail strikes, landing gear events, runway excursions and ground damage.

The Asia-Pacific region suffered six accidents in 2025, with the all-accident rate improving from 1.08 per million sectors in 2024 to 0.91 in 2025, also an improvement on the five-year average of 0.99. The fatality risk for the region remained unchanged at 0.15 in 2025.

North Asia encountered one non-fatal tail strike accident during the year, with an all-accident rate unchanged from 2024 at 0.16 per million sectors. The fatality risk has remained zero since 2023.

“A decade ago, the rate stood at one fatal accident for every 3.5 million flights (2012-2016),” says IATA Director General Willie Walsh.

“Today, it is one fatal accident for every 3.5 million flights (2012-2025). Flying is so safe that even one accident among the nearly 40 million flights operated annually moves the global data. Every accident is, of course, one too many.”

Meanwhile, IATA is stressing the importance of close coordination between military and civil authorities in conflict zones to ensure the safe operation of civil aircraft. Conflict zones are resulting in significant rerouting and operational complexity. IATA says it is essential that closing and reopening airspace remains focused on safety and security parameters and is not politicised.

“Civil aircraft must never be placed at risk from military activity — deliberately or accidently,” says Walsh. “When tensions rise, governments must share timely risk information, ensure effective civil-military coordination, restrict airspace where needed, and provide airlines with sufficient information for their own risk assessments. Whether closing or opening airspace, safety depends on transparency, facts and coordination,” he says.