In a few days, aviation safety experts from around the world will assemble in Hanoi, Vietnam for the inaugural World Safety and Operations Conference (WSOC), organized by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), with Vietnam Airlines as the host airline. Under the theme, “Leadership in Action: Driving Safer and More Efficient Operations,” the WSOC will take place on 19-21 September and explore a host of different topics related to safety and operational efficiency across four session tracks: Safety, Cabin Operations, Flight Operations and Emergency Response Planning and Aircraft Recovery.
Safety is aviation’s highest priority and our biggest challenge. In 2022, there were five fatal accidents involving loss of life to those onboard, out of more than 32 million flights. The industry’s 2022 fatality risk of 0.11 per million flights means that, on average, a person would need to take a flight every day for 25,214 years to experience a 100 percent fatal accident.
The industry knows that every fatality is a tragedy. Our common goal is for each flight to take-off and land safely. We will not be satisfied with our current level of achievement, as the safest form of long-distance transport the world has ever known, until this vision has been delivered.
Global standards are critical to this effort. This is demonstrated in the performance of airlines on the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry, which has become the de facto global standard for operational audits. In 2022, the all-accident rate for airlines on the IOSA registry was four times better than the rate for non-IOSA airlines.
This year is the 20th anniversary year for IOSA. We are marking two decades of safety progress by making IOSA even more effective with a transition to a risk-based program under which audits will be tailored to each airline’s individual risk profile. The WSOC will take a deep dive into Risk-Based IOSA, including sharing learnings from airlines that have participated in the trial audits.
Also high on the agenda at WSOC is the importance of safety leadership. Safety begins at the top. Aviation executives need to demonstrate safety leadership and a strong commitment to a positive safety culture and then ensure that vision is conveyed across the entire organization.
IATA has developed a Safety Leadership Charter in consultation with IATA members and the wider aviation community, to support executives in growing a positive safety culture within their organizations that enhances safety performance and operational resilience. We will present the first of what we expect will be many signatories at the WSOC.
Meanwhile, the Operations track at WSOC will address topics such as safely integrating new entrants and procedures, potential opportunities and boundaries of AI, digital transformation of flight and technical operations and performance-based training.
Cabin Operations topics for discussion include unruly passengers; addressing risks associated with lithium batteries; cabin crew mental health and wellbeing; as well as reducing cabin crew injuries. Case studies of accidents and incidents will also be presented.
The Emergency Response Planning and Aircraft Recovery track will examine subjects such as aircraft recovery; effective communications; family briefings and assistance; and risk and insurance management.
We will also look at the critical role played by state accident investigation reports to improving safety. Notably, only 96 of the 214 accident investigations during the period 2018-2022 conform with the requirements of the Convention of International Civil Aviation (the Chicago Convention). Safety has always been a team effort, and we share our learnings. There are no trade secrets when it comes to safety. This spirit of cooperation will be on full display at the WSOC.
Words by Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior VP Operations, Safety and Security
