https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Airline safety improves further in 2016

10th March 2017

By: Anine Kilian

Contributing Editor Online

     

Font size: - +

The aviation industry’s all accident rate, measured in accidents per one-million flights, improved to 1.61 in 2016, from 1.79 in 2015.

The latest data published by the International Air Transport Association (Iata) on Friday, further showed that the major jet accident rate, measured in hull losses per one-million flights, was 0.39 in 2016, which was equivalent to one major accident for every 2.56-million flights.

This was slightly worse than the rate of 0.32 achieved in 2015, as well as the five-year rate of 0.36. 

There were ten fatal accidents involving a total of 268 fatalities in 2016, compared with an average of 13.4 fatal accidents and 371 fatalities per year in the previous five-year period.

"Last year, some 3.8-billion travellers flew safely on 40.4-million flights. The number of total accidents, fatal accidents and fatalities all declined versus the five-year average, showing that aviation continues to become safer,” Iata director-general Alexandre de Juniac said in a statement on Friday.

In 2016, sub-Saharan Africa had its best performance of the last decade, with zero passenger fatalities and zero jet hull losses.

The all accident rate for the region was 2.30 per one-million departures, compared with an average of 9.73 per one-million departures a year for the previous five years.

The continent also saw continuing improvement in turboprop safety, with a turboprop hull loss rate of 1.56. There was one nonfatal turboprop hull loss. 

"Sub-Saharan African airlines delivered a very strong performance in 2016. But we must not rest on this success. Safety is earned every day. The lesson in Africa’s improvement is that global standards like the Iata Operational Safety Audit (Iosa) make a difference,” De Juniac noted.

He added that African nations should maintain this strong momentum by making Iosa and the Iata Standard Safety Assessment a part of their airline certification process.

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Online Managing Editor

Article Enquiry

Email Article

Save Article

Feedback

To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here

Latest Multimedia

Photo of Martin Creamer
On-The-Air (08/05/2026)
Updated 2 hours 20 minutes ago By: Martin Creamer

Showroom

Lion Alcolmeter® 700
Alco-Safe

Developed to exceed the latest EN 15964 standards for police breathalysers proving that it will remain accurate and reliable for many years to come.

VISIT SHOWROOM 
ASTPM
ASTPM

Established in 1983, the ASTPM is an industry association and representative body of the welded carbon steel tube and pipe manufacturers of South...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Magazine round up | 08 May 2026
Magazine round up | 08 May 2026
8th May 2026

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







301

sq:0.056 0.117s - 141pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now