Conceptual Boundaries Between Safety and Security in Aviation

Aviation is a critical global industry where the prevention of harm is paramount. Aviation safety and security are both essential for sustainable operations, yet they represent conceptually distinct domains. Safety traditionally refers to the prevention of accidents and unintentional harm in flight operations, while security addresses protection against intentional acts of interference. The conceptual complexity of distinguishing safety from security has motivated investigation into how aviation professionals interpret these terms in practice. This study employed qualitative research to examine aviation professionals’ understandings of “safety” versus “security”. 82 participants provided open-ended written definitions of safety and security in an aviation context. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify recurring themes in these definitions. Coding was conducted using analyst triangulation, with multiple researchers independently coding the responses and subsequently reaching consensus on the thematic categories. The analysis mapped how participants differentiate the two concepts and where overlaps in meaning occur. Safety was described mainly as preventing accidents and incidents through proactive management of operational hazards that arise without hostile intent, including human error, technical failure, and environmental variability, with an emphasis on keeping risk at acceptable levels. Security was defined as protection against intentional threats, including unlawful interference, terrorism, sabotage, and unauthorized access. Intentionality functioned as the primary boundary between the concepts. Metaphors portrayed safety as continuous system support and security as defensive protection against intrusion. Limited overlap indicates a need for clearer terminology and scenario-based training that reinforces correct classification and response, especially in multilingual contexts.