Travelling by plane is the safest it has ever been, Travel-news.co.uk has reported.
According to figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), there were 22 fatal air crashes in 2011 and 486 deaths as a result, making it the safest year since IATA records began in 1945.
The global accident rate for 2011 was 2.16 crashes per million take-offs, and there were no fatal air crashes whatsoever on European soil during the year.
Gunther Matschnigg, senior vice president for safety, operations and infrastructure at IATA, commented, “As of the end of November, global safety performance is at the best level recorded, and is 49 per cent better than the same time last year.”
While Africa remains the most dangerous region in which to fly, with an accident rate of 3.93 crashes per million take-offs, this is still significantly lower than last year’s rate of 8.26 crashes per million take-offs.
“Overall, African performance is 52 per cent better - that is a great achievement,” Mr Matschnigg continued.