The International Air Transport Association has released data for the 2017 safety performance of the commercial airline industry showing continued strong improvements in safety.The ‘all accident rate’ (measured in accidents per one million flights) was 1.08, an improvement over the all accident rate of 1.68 in 2016.The figure is also a marked improve on the rate of 2.01 recorded for the previous five-year period (2012-2016).The 2017 rate for major jet accidents (measured in jet hull losses per one million flights) was 0.11, which was the equivalent of one major accident for every 8.7 million flights. Again, this was an improvement over the rate of 0.39 achieved in 2016 and also better than the five-year rate (2012-2016) of 0.33.ADVERTISEMENT“Last year was a very good year for aviation safety,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA director general.“Some 4.1 billion travellers flew safely on 41.8 million flights. “We saw improvements in nearly all key metrics - globally and in most regions.”There were six fatal accidents with 19 fatalities among passengers and crew in 2017.This compares with an average of 10.8 fatal accidents and approximately 315 fatalities per year in the previous five-year period.In 2016 there were 9 fatal accidents and 202 fatalities.None of the six fatal accidents involved a passenger jet. Five involved turboprop aircraft and one involved a cargo jet. The crash of the cargo jet also resulted in the deaths of 35 persons on the ground, as well as the crew of the jet.IATA member airlines experienced zero fatal accidents or hull losses in 2017 with jet or turboprop equipment.de Juniac added: “Our determination to make this very safe industry even safer continues. “In 2017 there were incidents and accidents that we will learn from through the investigation process, just as we will learn from the recent tragedies in Russia and Iran. “Complementing that knowledge are insights we can gain from the millions of flights that operate safety. “Data from these operations is powering the development of predictive analytics that will eventually enable us to eliminate the conditions that can lead to accidents. “The industry knows that every fatality is a tragedy. “Our common goal is for every flight to take-off and land safely.”OlderSilver Spirit to undergo lengthening project in ItalyNewerAirbnb rolls out plans for next decade of growth