rotornut
24th Mar 2004, 11:25
2003 a good year to fly
Canadian Press
POSTED AT 9:31 PM EST Tuesday, Mar. 23, 2004
Montreal — Scheduled airlines had fewer fatal crashes in 2003 than at any time since 1945, the International Civil Aviation Organization reported Tuesday.
However, crashes involving charter flights increased during the year, the Montreal-based agency said.
Excluding terrorist acts and accidents involving small private aircraft, there were only six fatal airplane crashes for scheduled airlines last year, in which 334 passengers died.
That compares with 791 passenger fatalities from 13 accidents in 2002.
Last year had the second-lowest number of passenger fatalities since 1945, lower only in 1984 when 218 passengers died in accidents.
The 2003 statistics works out to 0.01 passenger fatalities per 100 million passenger-kilometres for scheduled air services, compared with 0.025 in 2002.
For non-scheduled operations or charter flights, ICAO reported 27 fatal accidents, up from 19 in 2002. A total of 362 passengers died in those crashes in 2003, compared with 201 fatalities in 2002.
Regarding security, the agency reported 34 acts of what it calls "unlawful interference" during 2003, in which 20 persons were killed and 77 injured. These included three hijackings.
The number of airport attacks or attempts decreased to 10 from 26 in 2002.
The agency does not include crew fatalities in its figures, or pre-1986 accidents involving airlines from the former Soviet Union.
ICAO is a United Nations agency that promotes the safe development of international civil aviation.
Canadian Press
POSTED AT 9:31 PM EST Tuesday, Mar. 23, 2004
Montreal — Scheduled airlines had fewer fatal crashes in 2003 than at any time since 1945, the International Civil Aviation Organization reported Tuesday.
However, crashes involving charter flights increased during the year, the Montreal-based agency said.
Excluding terrorist acts and accidents involving small private aircraft, there were only six fatal airplane crashes for scheduled airlines last year, in which 334 passengers died.
That compares with 791 passenger fatalities from 13 accidents in 2002.
Last year had the second-lowest number of passenger fatalities since 1945, lower only in 1984 when 218 passengers died in accidents.
The 2003 statistics works out to 0.01 passenger fatalities per 100 million passenger-kilometres for scheduled air services, compared with 0.025 in 2002.
For non-scheduled operations or charter flights, ICAO reported 27 fatal accidents, up from 19 in 2002. A total of 362 passengers died in those crashes in 2003, compared with 201 fatalities in 2002.
Regarding security, the agency reported 34 acts of what it calls "unlawful interference" during 2003, in which 20 persons were killed and 77 injured. These included three hijackings.
The number of airport attacks or attempts decreased to 10 from 26 in 2002.
The agency does not include crew fatalities in its figures, or pre-1986 accidents involving airlines from the former Soviet Union.
ICAO is a United Nations agency that promotes the safe development of international civil aviation.