African Air Safety Back on IATA’s Radar
The IATA Operational Safety Audit deemed the safety record of South African Airways on par with those of more than 380 airlines around the world. But IATA continues to work toward improving the still-poor safety standards among the continent’s other operators. (Photo: Airbus)
The IATA Operational Safety Audit deemed the safety record of South African Airways on par with those of more than 380 airlines around the world. But IATA continues to work toward improving the still-poor safety standards among the continent’s other operators. (Photo: Airbus)

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is redoubling efforts to help African airlines improve the continent’s poor accident rate. “It is no secret that the biggest gap [in airline safety performance] is in Africa,” said IATA director general Tony Tyler at the group’s international operations conference in Vienna on April 15. “Compared with a world rate of 0.20 Western-built jet hull loss accidents per million sectors in 2012, Africa’s rate was 3.71.”