While global aviation has recovered significantly since travel restrictions began to be relaxed in 2022, the sector is feeling the strain following several high-visibility incidents that have shaken passengers the world over.
Just yesterday, we saw the crash of Air India Flight 171 just minutes after takeoff on its way to London; in April, American Airlines Flight 5342 fatally collided with a US Army helicopter over the Potomac River.
Yesterday’s incident also brought back the harrowing memory of the Jeju Air crash landing towards the end of 2024, particularly because both ill-fated flights were operated with Boeing aircraft.
But regardless of which aerospace manufacturers produced their aircraft, airlines throughout the globe see these incidents as a wake-up call when it comes to beefing up their safety measures and protocols.
Syncing professional associations
In a November 2024 report that was updated in January of this year, Austrian consultancy Skylift Aviation pointed out that global harmonisation of aviation safety standards was something that various organisations need to take seriously.
This would, for example, involve collaboration on the part of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to align safety frameworks across countries.
Such measures include initiatives like ICAO’s Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) which emphasises data-driven decision-making, proactive risk management, as well as safety performance improvements.
Through similar proactive measures already in place, ICAO noted a reduction in global air accident rates in 2022 to around 2.6 per one million departures compared to the 4.2 per million seen in 2013.
Pattern identification matters
Another key measure that airlines and aerospace firms need to look into is being able to identify flaw patterns in aircraft through data collection and analysis.
Through systems like the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing programme, stakeholders rely on comprehensive data collection and analyses in order to identify risks well before they turn into critical issues.
Indeed, the use of real-time data from Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) systems has been a great help towards the development of preventive strategies which have enabled airlines to take a proactive approach regarding potential issues.
All too human
However, no matter how much airlines and airports invest in cutting-edge technologies, it cannot be denied that up to 80 percent of all aviation accidents were caused by human error.
Indeed, in a 2019 piece for the International Airport Review, AVCON chief executive Wayne Anaka remarked: “We know what to do but somehow the system is not working. It is not that the accountants ignore the cost. It is not because senior management does not put a focus on costs. It is not that front-line management and workers do not care. So, what is going wrong?”
He went on to list five key factors that have led to disastrous error on the part of staff both on the ground and in the air:
- Staff shortages have led to an overworked team whose fatigue on both physical and mental levels has led to critical errors of judgement. This was true well before the pandemic, but even truer now given the way airport and airline staff are wearing themselves out;
- There were training deficiencies caused by high turnover and instructors struggled to keep up. Even now, there is a shortage of qualified trainers and safety training materials need a major revision;
- Many accidents are the result of key personnel breaking critical rules, something that was driven to a lack of oversight in key areas;
- Prior to the pandemic, a number of airlines and airports pushed for on-time performance, and supervisors under pressure would end up cutting corners, particularly where safety was concerned; and
- This “bottom-line” mentality where profit was given higher priority than either safety or customer satisfaction led to cost-cutting in terms of employee wages, safety measures, and equipment maintenance, essentially brewing a perfect storm leading to accidents.
What now?
Anaka said that the problem is that both airlines and airports have focused on the wrong things, thus compromising the safety of passengers, staff, and aircraft.
In which case, he saw a need for these establishments to examine the root causes behind incidents, including poor communication; lack of respect; lack of discipline; and slack enforcement of safety protocols.
But while addressing the issues behind human errors in aviation is certainly important, would it be possible for technology to replace human workers in terms of aviation safety in order to prevent future accidents?
The answer is not a cut and dried yes or no; nor will we see a tangible answer within the near future.
In a February 2025 interview with Al-Jazeera, Airport AI Exchange’s chief officer for artificial intelligence Amad Malik said: “When it comes to aviation, there’s a lot of advancement in AI, even though a lot of that has not trickled through to commercial aviation because of the processes and certification. The way the regulations are set up is that years and years of data are required before you can use anything in the commercial landscape. What we do have right now is something that started in the 1960s!”
Despite this rather pessimistic point of view, LYTE Aviation’s founder and chief executive Freshta Farzam pointed out that developers are already doing a lot with regard to the application of AI in aviation safety, and there is a great deal more already in the pipeline.
Farzam said: “AI is already playing a crucial role in reducing aviation accidents and loss of life by improving situational awareness, predictive maintenance and decision-making processes. In air traffic control and collision avoidance, AI is helping out tremendously.”
How could AI make aviation safer?
Innovative technologies like AI will certainly be instrumental in revolutionising aviation safety the world over.
To date, there are already a number of advancements that have been put to practical use both aboard aircraft and with ground control.
These include:
- Predictive Maintenance: AI systems can monitor aircraft health in real-time, identifying issues before they lead to costly delays. This helps airlines minimize downtime and save millions on maintenance costs;
- Autonomous Flight Systems: Advances in AI are enhancing autopilot technology, moving us closer to fully autonomous commercial flights. New AI models improve in-flight decision-making and optimize routes with less human input; and
- Air Traffic Management: AI improves air traffic control by analyzing real-time data, reducing congestion and enhancing flight safety. More efficient airspace management could significantly decrease delays.
