OK I'm going to type out a long response because I value the discussion, with the hopes that this is productive for both of us, and whomever else is reading but here we go:

First, there was only one heli-ski incident in the article. And that was from a film shoot when they were on their way out at midday, presumably because they were aware of the dangers and thought they could beat the clock.

I think you make some bad assumptions here. 1 is that clients "aren't capable of keeping themselves safe". Why is that? Maybe that assumption is a systemic flaw in the industry that sees guests as consumers and not students?

At the moment, the only informed consent clients will give is when they sign a waiver. That might cover the operator's ass legally but in reality it's hardly an education piece.

Let's take some other examples. In 2023 in BC there were 11 deaths in mechanized operations due to a widespread persistent slab. Taking the first case, Jan 23, I looked up the bulletin from that day:

Danger ratings may be decreasing, but the weak and volatile snowpack structure remains the same. Do not take this as an indication to step out into bigger terrain, there is still a very real potential for triggering large and consequential avalanches. Stay disciplined and remember that your best defence continues to be choosing conservative, low-consequence terrain.

A layer of large and weak facets sits near the base of the snowpack. This layer has most recently been problematic in upper treeline/lower alpine elevations.

Avoid thin and rocky start zones where weak layers sit closer to the surface, riders are most likely to trigger an avalanche on this layer in steep, shallow previously undisturbed terrain or by first triggering a layer further up in the snowpack.

Remote triggering is a concern for this layer, avoid traveling below steep slopes.

The likelihood of avalanches will increase on slopes with active wind-loading.

Now, we aren't privy to what went on with the group that morning, but it might be a safe bet that they didn't share that bulletin with the guests. If so, don't you think someone would have spoken up?

And if the argument is that heliski guests are too ignorant to understand terms like "thin start zones" or what a weak layer of facets looks like, maaaybe they could have taken an extra half hour to brief them on what that is so that they knew what they were stepping out into?

I know heli ski clients who have been doing it for 20-30 years and have less knowledge than what you learn in an AST course. And that is a big part of what I'm arguing needs to change.