The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its 2025 Annual Safety Report, showing that global aviation continued to maintain a strong safety record, even though the number of fatal accidents and deaths increased slightly compared to the previous year.

According to the report, the overall accident rate in 2025 was 1.32 accidents per million flights, which means there was roughly one accident for every 759,646 flights. This was an improvement compared to 2024, when the accident rate was 1.42 per million flights. However, the figure was slightly higher than the five-year average (2021-2025) of 1.27 accidents per million flights.

In total, 51 accidents occurred in 2025 among 38.7 million flights worldwide. This was lower than the 54 accidents recorded in 2024, but still higher than the five-year average of 44 accidents.

While the overall accident rate improved, the number of fatal accidents rose slightly in 2025. There were eight fatal accidents, compared to seven in 2024 and the five-year average of six.

The number of people who lost their lives onboard aircraft also increased, reaching 394 fatalities in 2025. In comparison, 244 people died in aviation accidents in 2024, and the five-year average stands at 198 fatalities.

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Despite this rise, aviation experts say flying remains extremely safe.

“Flying is the safest form of long-distance travel. Accidents are extremely rare,” said Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA. He added that every accident reminds the industry to improve safety through better standards, stronger cooperation, and data-driven decisions.

Walsh also pointed out that aviation safety has improved significantly over the years.

A decade ago, between 2012 and 2016, there was one fatal accident for every 3.5 million flights. Today, based on the 2021-2025 average, there is one fatal accident for every 5.6 million flights.

“Even one accident among nearly 40 million flights can change global statistics. But every accident is one too many. The aviation industry’s goal remains zero accidents and zero fatalities,” Walsh said.

Common Types of Accidents

The report shows that most accidents in 2025 happened during take-off, landing, or ground operations.

The most common types of incidents included:

•Tail strikes (when the tail of the aircraft touches the runway)

•Landing gear problems

•Runway excursions, where aircraft leave the runway

•Ground damage during airport operations

One important improvement was that no “loss of control in flight” accidents occurred in 2025. This type of accident is usually one of the most dangerous and has caused many fatalities in the past. The last time the industry recorded zero such accidents was in 2020.

The report also highlighted the role of airport infrastructure in aviation safety. About 16% of accidents in 2025 were linked to airport facilities or runway conditions. Poor runway markings, inadequate lighting, surface contamination such as water or debris, and obstacles near runways can increase the risk of accidents.

Walsh warned that rigid structures close to runways can make accidents more severe, sometimes turning survivable incidents into fatal ones. He urged airports and regulators to strictly follow international safety standards for runway safety areas.

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The report measures fatality risk, which reflects the probability of passengers or crew dying in an accident. In 2025, fatality risk increased to 0.17 per million flights, compared to 0.06 in 2024. The five-year average is 0.12.

However, the increase was largely due to a small number of major accidents. For example, two accidents alone accounted for more than 77% of all deaths in 2025:

•Air India Flight 171 crash, which resulted in 241 fatalities

•PSA Airlines Flight 5342 crash, which resulted in 64 fatalities

The report also warned about increasing risks to civil aviation from global conflict zones.

Military activity near flight corridors has forced airlines to change routes and avoid certain airspaces, increasing operational complexity. Recent geopolitical tensions have caused several disruptions to global flight routes.

IATA stressed that governments must provide timely information and coordinate closely with civil aviation authorities to ensure that civilian aircraft are not placed at risk.

“Civil aircraft must never be placed at risk from military activity whether deliberately or accidentally,” Walsh said. He added that governments must share risk information quickly and close or reopen airspace based on safety considerations.

Another growing concern is interference with satellite navigation systems, known as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference. GNSS jamming incidents increased by 67% between 2023 and 2025 while GPS spoofing incidents rose by 193% during the same period.

These actions can mislead aircraft navigation systems and create safety risks. Walsh called such interference “unacceptable and irresponsible”, urging governments and air navigation service providers to take stronger action.

The report also highlighted concerns about delays in accident investigations.

Under international aviation rules, countries must complete accident investigations and publish reports in a timely manner. However, IATA found that only 63% of accident reports between 2019 and 2023 were completed according to these requirements.

With nearly 40 million flights operating every year, accidents remain extremely rare. Industry experts say continuous monitoring, strong safety standards, and international cooperation remain key to ensuring that flying becomes even safer in the future.