AIRCLAIMS, the Heathrow-based provider of information, consultancy and claims management, says that 2004 was the safest year ever for commercial air transport. Last year 347 passengers were killed in accidents on revenue passenger flights (excluding deliberate acts of violence), 60% less than the average number of fatalities during the 1990s when actual passenger numbers were far less. Western-built jets, which carry about 90% of the world-wide traffic, also had a much better than average year with fatal accidents, fatalities, total losses and the cost of incurred losses all well below the 1990s average. The experience of eastern-built jets in 2004, (if acts of violence are excluded), was also good with only three known total loss accidents including one fatal accident (to passengers) and 32 passenger fatalities. For the insurance market, 2004 extended the period of respite after the disaster of 2001. Airclaims currently estimates that losses of around $1bn were incurred during 2004, approximately half of what could be expected. However, 2004 also saw the apparent deliberate destruction of two Russian airliners within minutes of each other, killing all onboard.
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