Timely, comprehensive, and publicly available accident reports are crucial for strengthening aviation safety. Transparent reporting helps identify risks, improve safety measures, and prevent future incidents, ensuring continuous progress in global air travel security.
Delayed or incomplete accident reports deny critical stakeholders—operators, manufacturers, regulators, and infrastructure providers—vital insights that could further improve aviation safety. IATA’s analysis of 2018-2023 accident investigations reveals that only 57% were completed and published as obligated by the Chicago Convention.
Completion rates vary significantly across regions, with North Asia leading at 75%, followed by North America (70%) and Europe (66%), CIS (65%), Middle East and North Africa (60%), Latin America and the Caribbean (57%), Asia-Pacific (53%), and Africa (20%).
“Accident investigation is a vital tool for improving global aviation safety. To be effective, the reports of accident investigations must be complete, accessible, and timely. Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention is clear that this is a state’s obligation. Burying accident reports for political considerations is completely unacceptable. And if capacity is the blocker, then we need a coordinated global effort to provide technical support to countries with limited accident investigation expertise,” said Walsh.
Sharp Rise in GNSS Interference Poses Growing Risk to Aviation Safety
Data from the IATA Incident Data Exchange (IDX) highlights a sharp increase in GNSS-related interference, which can mislead aircraft navigation systems. While there are several back-up systems in place to support aviation safety even when these systems are affected, these incidents still pose deliberate and unacceptable risks to civil aviation. GNSS interference is most prevalent in Türkiye, Iraq, and Egypt.
Reports of GNSS interference—including signal disruptions, jamming, and spoofing—surged between 2023 and 2024. Interference rates increased by 175%, while GPS spoofing incidents spiked by 500%.
“The sharp rise in GNSS interference events is deeply concerning. Reliable navigation is fundamental to safe and efficient flight operations. Immediate steps by governments and air navigation service providers are needed to stop this practice, improve situational awareness, and ensure that airlines have the necessary tools to operate safely in all areas,” said Walsh.
