The rate of interference with airline navigations systems jumped by almost 200 percent last year, raising concerns within the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
In releasing the 2024 Annual Safety Report, IATA Director General Willie Walsh said there had been a sharp increase in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-related interference, which could mislead aircraft navigation systems.
Mr Walsh said while there were several back-up systems in place to support aviation safety even when these systems are affected, these incidents stilled posed “deliberate and unacceptable risks to civil aviation”.
He said reports of GNSS interference, including signal disruptions, jamming, and spoofing, surged between 2023 and 2024, with interference rates increasing by 175 percent, while Global Positioning System (GPS) spoofing incidents spiked by 500 percent.
“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,” he said.
Mr Walsh said, overall, the airline industry showed improvements on the five-year average for several key parameters, but it took a step back based on 2023 numbers.
He said the latest report showed:
- The all-accident rate of 1.13 per million flights (one accident per 880,000 flights) was better than the five-year average of 1.25, but worse than the 1.09 recorded in 2023.
- There were seven fatal accidents in 2024, among 40.6 million flights. That is higher than the single fatal accident recorded in 2023 and the five-year average of five fatal accidents.
- There were 244 on-board fatalities in 2024, compared to the 72 fatalities reported in 2023 and the five-year average of 144. Fatality risk remained low at 0.06, below the five-year average (0.10), although double the 0.03 reported in 2023.
“Even with recent high profile aviation accidents, it is important to remember that accidents are extremely rare. There were 40.6 million flights in 2024 and seven fatal accidents.
“Moreover, the long-term story of aviation safety is one of continuous improvement. A decade ago, the five-year average (2011-2015) was one accident for every 456,000 flights.
“Today, the five-year average (2020-2024) is one accident for every 810,000 flights.”
Learn more about the IATA Annual Safety Report.
