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Last Year Was Good For Airline Safety Despite Boeing Issues

The airlines posted a reasonably safe year, though 11 of 20 fatal accidents occurred within North America. Julie Boatman
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Despite the Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max crash, 2019 ranked as the seventh safest year on record for airlines, with 20 fatal accidents claiming 283 lives globally.
  • North America saw a significant increase in fatal accidents in 2019, accounting for 11 of the 20 worldwide incidents, a notable rise from prior years.
  • The overall fatal accident rate for 2019 was just one per 2 million flights, indicating a substantial improvement in aviation safety compared to rates from a decade or two ago.
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The Aviation Safety Network, an arm of the Flight Safety Foundation, reported 2019 was still one of the industry’s safest, despite the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max in March that claimed 157 lives. Last year wasn’t accident-free, however. ASN says 20 airline accidents around the world claimed 283 lives. Even when accounting for those 283 fatalities, 2019 ranked as the seventh safest year on record for the airlines.

Rob Mark

Rob Mark is an award-winning journalist, business jet pilot, flight instructor, and blogger.

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