The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for stronger integration of people, technology and global safety standards to achieve the next major advances in aviation safety. The call was made at the opening of the IATA World Safety and Operations Conference 2026 in Istanbul, where the association stressed that continued improvements in aviation safety will depend on the ability of people, technology and international standards to work together as a resilient system.
Aviation Safety Continues to Improve
Mark Searle, IATA’s Director of Safety, said aviation has become significantly safer over the past decade, with the fatal accident rate improving from one accident per 3.5 million flights to one per 5.6 million flights. However, he noted that aviation safety remains an area requiring continuous improvement. A total of 394 lives were lost in aviation accidents in 2025, demonstrating that despite improvements in safety performance, significant risks remain.
Searle said every fatality reinforces the industry’s responsibility to identify risks earlier, strengthen safety systems and prevent future accidents. According to IATA, the next major improvement in aviation safety will depend on the effective integration of human expertise, technological innovation and consistent application of global standards.
Preserving Experience as Aviation Workforce Changes
IATA highlighted the importance of people in maintaining and improving aviation safety as a new generation of aviation professionals enters the workforce. The association identified structured knowledge transfer as a key priority. Decades of operational experience need to be preserved through mentoring, training and effective succession planning so that critical knowledge is not lost as experienced professionals leave the industry.
IATA also stressed the need to combine the expertise of experienced aviation professionals with the digital capabilities and artificial intelligence (AI) knowledge of younger generations. Rather than treating experience and new technology as separate strengths, the industry needs to bring them together to improve decision-making and operational safety.
Protecting a Strong Safety Culture
Maintaining a strong safety culture was identified as another critical priority. IATA emphasised the importance of creating an environment where aviation professionals can report hazards, errors and near misses without fear. Such reporting allows airlines, regulators and other stakeholders to identify weaknesses and take corrective action before incidents develop into accidents.
Searle said the aviation industry has spent decades developing a safety culture in which professionals can report their own mistakes and turn errors into opportunities for collective learning. He stressed that this culture needs to be passed from one generation to the next and continuously strengthened.
Technology Must Strengthen Safety
IATA also highlighted the growing role of technology, including artificial intelligence, in aviation safety. The association said new technologies should be evaluated based on whether they help safety professionals better understand what is happening, support improved decision-making and allow operations to remain safe if the technology becomes unavailable or is compromised.
According to IATA, technology can help identify risks at an earlier stage, provide critical information and enable aviation professionals to take preventive action before a potential incident becomes an accident. However, the association cautioned that technology should not replace human judgment or fundamental safety procedures.
GNSS Interference Highlights Need for Resilience
Searle pointed to the increasing problem of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference as an example of why aviation systems need technological redundancy and strong operational procedures. While advanced technologies can provide valuable information and improve efficiency, aviation systems must remain safe when technology is unavailable, degraded or provides inaccurate information. IATA therefore emphasised the continued importance of backup systems, established procedures, professional training and human decision-making alongside technological innovation.
Global Standards Need Consistent Implementation
The third major pillar highlighted by IATA was the consistent implementation of international aviation safety standards. The strong safety performance of airlines included on the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry demonstrates the value of common global standards supported by effective oversight, according to the association.
However, IATA said some of the industry’s major safety challenges are increasingly linked not to a lack of international standards, but to inconsistent implementation and oversight. Searle argued that the next major improvement in aviation safety will not necessarily come from creating more standards, but from ensuring that existing standards are properly understood, implemented and monitored worldwide.
Focus on Better Implementation and Oversight
IATA has identified several measures to strengthen the effectiveness of global safety standards. The association called for improved implementation and oversight, with limited regulatory resources focused on areas presenting the greatest risks. It also stressed the importance of applying standards consistently throughout the aviation system.
IATA further called for stronger compliance by states with their international obligations, particularly regarding conflict-zone risk information and accident reporting. Effective and timely sharing of safety information is considered essential for airlines and aviation authorities to identify emerging risks and take appropriate preventive measures.
Standards Must Keep Pace With Aviation
IATA also emphasised the need to ensure that global safety standards remain relevant as aviation technology, operations and regulatory environments continue to evolve. The association called for standards to be simplified, modernised and regularly updated to reflect changes within the industry. Rather than adding unnecessary complexity, IATA said requirements should remain practical and relevant to current aviation operations while maintaining high levels of safety.
Three Pillars Must Work Together
IATA stressed that people, technology and standards cannot operate independently if the aviation industry is to achieve further safety improvements. Searle said the three elements must reinforce one another across areas including runway safety, GNSS interference, conflict-zone risks and accident investigations. When one of the three pillars is weak, he said, the resilience of the entire aviation safety system is reduced.
The association’s message at the World Safety and Operations Conference 2026 therefore centred on building a more resilient aviation system in which experienced professionals and new generations work together, technology supports rather than replaces human judgment, and globally agreed standards are consistently implemented and overseen. IATA said strengthening these connections will be essential to maintaining aviation’s strong safety record while addressing emerging risks in an increasingly complex operating environment.
