IATA Reports Lower Global Aviation Accident Rate in 2025

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its 2025 Annual Safety Report, showing an all-accident rate of 1.32 per million flights across 38.7 million operations worldwide. The figure represents an improvement from 1.42 accidents per million flights in 2024 but remains slightly above the 2021-2025 five-year average of 1.27.

The report recorded 51 accidents in 2025, compared with 54 in 2024 and a five-year average of 44 accidents. Eight fatal accidents occurred during the year, one more than in 2024 and above the five-year average of six. Onboard fatalities increased to 394, up from 244 in the previous year and higher than the five-year average of 198.

“Flying is the safest form of long-distance travel,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “Accidents are extremely rare and each one reminds us to be even more focused on continuous improvement through global standards and collaboration guided by safety data.”

The report indicates that the fatal accident rate has improved over the past decade. Walsh said the five-year rolling average shows progress from one fatal accident per 3.5 million flights between 2012 and 2016 to one per 5.6 million flights between 2021 and 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. The goal for aviation remains zero accidents and zero fatalities,” he said.

The deadliest aviation accident in 2025 involved Air India Flight AI171, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, becoming the deadliest aviation disaster in a decade. The aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Air India, had just departed when it lost momentum and crashed into a densely populated area, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground. A preliminary investigation by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau found that the fuel supply to both engines was cut during the aircraft’s initial climb.

The most common accident categories in 2025 were tail strikes, landing gear events, runway excursions, and ground damage. The report notes that these events highlight operational risks during takeoff, landing, and ground handling. No loss-of-control-in-flight accidents were recorded in 2025, marking the second time this has occurred since 2020. Loss-of-control-in-flight incidents have historically been among the leading causes of fatalities.

Airport infrastructure was identified as a contributing factor in 16% of accidents. Walsh said runway environments and nearby structures can affect accident outcomes. “In several events, rigid obstacles near runways increased accident severity, likely turning otherwise survivable occurrences into fatal ones,” he said. He added that regulators and airports should review runway safety areas and surrounding structures to ensure compliance with global standards.

A study by the University of California, Berkeley found that failures in critical airport systems can significantly affect aircraft operations and safety.  The research examined unscheduled outages in communication, navigation, and surveillance systems and concluded that such disruptions reduce airport throughput and increase operational risk.

The report also shows differences in safety performance among airlines participating in the IATA Operational Safety Audit. Airlines on the IOSA registry recorded an all-accident rate of 0.98 per million flights compared with 2.55 for non-IOSA carriers. International Air Transport Association member airlines reported an accident rate of 0.72 per million flights, compared with 3.09 for non-members.

The fatality risk rate increased to 0.17 per million flights in 2025, up from 0.06 in 2024 and higher than the five-year average of 0.12. According to the report, two events accounted for more than 77% of onboard fatalities: the Air India Flight AI171 crash, which resulted in 241 fatalities, and PSA Airlines Flight 5342 crash, which resulted in 64 fatalities.

Regional data shows mixed results. Africa recorded the highest accident rate at 7.86 accidents per million sectors despite improving from 12.13 in 2024. Asia-Pacific reported six accidents and an accident rate of 0.91 per million sectors, lower than the previous year and below its five-year average. Europe recorded 11 accidents and an accident rate of 1.30, while Latin America and the Caribbean recorded five accidents and an accident rate of 1.77 per million sectors. North America reported 16 accidents and an accident rate of 1.68 per million sectors.

The report also identified operational risks linked to geopolitical conflicts and navigation interference. IATA stated that expanding conflict zones are forcing airlines to reroute flights and manage increased operational complexity. “Civil aircraft must never be placed at risk from military activity—deliberately or accidentally,” Walsh said, adding that governments should share risk information, coordinate with civil aviation authorities, and restrict airspace when necessary.