By Kavita Mistry 
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has emphasised three key priorities to strengthen global aviation safety and operational resilience — defending and evolving international standards, promoting leadership-driven safety culture, and leveraging data insights for performance enhancement. The announcement was made at the opening of IATA’s World Safety and Operations Conference (WSOC) in Xiamen, China.
Mark Searle, Global Director, Safety, IATA, said, “The environment in which airlines operate has grown even more complex as conflicts and regulatory fragmentation have proliferated. As a result, we have seen airspace closures, drone incursions and rising GNSS interference disrupt connectivity and threaten safety. Ensuring aviation remains the safest mode of transport requires strong leadership, robust adherence to global standards, and smarter use of data.”
Defending and Advancing Global Standards
IATA underlined the urgent need to protect and modernise aviation standards. Reports of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) interference have increased by more than 200 per cent since 2021. In partnership with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), IATA has launched a GNSS Resilience Plan focusing on monitoring, prevention, backup systems, and civil–military coordination. The organisation also urged the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to establish global standards and guidance on this issue.
IATA further called for safeguarding aviation’s radio spectrum amid expanding 5G and 6G networks, as interference risks continue to impact operations near airports in markets such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. Timely accident investigations were also highlighted, with IATA noting that only 58 per cent of accidents between 2019 and 2023 have resulted in final reports, hindering safety improvements.
Using Data to Drive Performance
Through its Global Aviation Data Management (GADM) programme, IATA is advancing predictive safety and operational analysis. The Turbulence Aware platform, now used by 3,200 aircraft, and the SafetyIS database, covering 217 airlines, are examples of data tools that help pre-empt risks. The risk-based IOSA audit model has already produced over 8,000 corrective actions to enhance safety outcomes.
Leadership and Safety Culture
IATA also emphasised leadership as the foundation of strong safety culture. Its Safety Leadership Charter now covers 90 per cent of global traffic, while IATA Connect, a collaborative digital platform with over 5,600 users, supports safety documentation and issue management across 600 organisations.
