The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has suggested new safety measures to address any “hidden” operational risks following the deadliest year in global commercial aviation since 2018, Reuters has reported.
In a press conference seen by Reuters on January 3, 2025, CAAC announced that it has been warning Chinese airlines about possible safety issues and advising adjustments to their flight routes.
“The Civil Aviation Administration of China has been in a timely manner warning airlines of safety risks to flights, and adjusting route plans to ensure safe operation,” Shu Mingjiang, a CAAC official, said during the press conference.
Additionally, China’s CAAC has instructed airports to take preventive measures against bird strikes and conduct a comprehensive review of safety hazards on runways, according to the Reuters report.
Airports will “intensify operations to repel birds in and around airport facilities,” Mingjiang said, adding that airports are mandated to conduct investigations into “hidden dangers” to enhance the safety of runways.
In 2024, there were 5,003 commercial airline occurrences (resulting in 1,555 fatalities), according to the data from Aviation Safety Network (ASN). This marks an overall slight decrease compared to 2023, when 5,350 occurrences were recorded (though only 1,284 fatalities).
The increase in fatalities in 2024 was linked to several major incidents, including the recent Jeju Air incident and the Azerbaijan Airlines crash in Kazakhstan.
On December 29, 2024, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 flying from Bangkok, Thailand, came off the runway and burst into flames after crashing into the outer wall of Muan International Airport during a belly landing. 179 of the 181 people on board were killed.
Prior to that, on December 25, 2024, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E-190 aircraft crashed in western Kazakhstan. A total of 67 people were on board the flight, 38 of whom were killed.
