Last year was a safe time to fly, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

There were no fatal jet hull losses due to accidents, and only one major accident per 3.1 million flights.

The global jet accident rate improved 30%, with a hull loss ratio of 0.32 per million flights, compared with the previous five-year average rate of 0.46.

The 2014 jet hull loss ratio was even better, at 0.27 per million flights.

The figures show it pays to be an IATA member, among which the jet hull loss ratio was just 0.22 last year, or one accident for every 4.5 million flights.

There were four accidents resulting in 136 passengers’ deaths last year, but they all involved turboprop aircraft.

This figure is well below the average of 17.6 fatal accidents and 504 deaths per year in the previous five years.

Last year’s losses of Germanwings flight 9525, apparently due to pilot suicide, and Metrojet 9268, from suspected terrorism, are not included in the statistics because they are classified as “deliberate acts of unlawful interference”.

IATA CEO Tony Tyler says it was “a year of contrasts”.

“In terms of the number of fatal accidents it was an extraordinarily safe year,” he said. “And the long-term trend data shows us flying is getting even safer.

The world turboprop hull loss rate improved last year to 1.29 per million, compared with a 3.95 average across the previous five years.

Africa’s rate was 4.53, compared with a five-year average of 18.2.

IATA has 262 member airlines and all are registered for operational safety audits.