Qantas named safest airline for the third year running

AirlineRatings.com has revealed that Qantas is the safest airline in the world. The airline safety and product rating website also entitled Virgin Atlantic among the top twenty safest airlines – the only UK airline to make it towards the top of the list.

The website, which commenced in June 2013, compiled the top twenty safest airline line-up by surveying 407 carriers. Qantas has topped this list for the third year in a row with its fatality free record in the jet era.

The website commented, “In selecting Qantas as the world’s safest airline, AirlineRatings.com editors noted that over its 95-year history the world’s oldest continuously operating airline has amassed an extraordinary record of firsts in operations and safety and is now accepted as the industry’s most experienced carrier.”

Qantas A380 aircraft flies over its hub city of Sydney. Photo courtesy of Qantas.

The other top twenty contenders include (in alphabetical order): Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airlines, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airline System, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia.

From the 407 airlines that were included in the survey, it was revealed that 148 could lay claim to the top seven-star safety ranking whilst almost 50 could boast only three or less. Meanwhile, ten airlines which could be divulged as being from Indonesia, Nepal and Surinam, owned one star only.

The year 2015 was one that saw a number of high profile airline incidents, among them being the Germanwings and Metrojet tragedies. Of note, there was also the failed take-off of British Airways’ flight 2276 in September, which caught on fire upon departure from Las Vegas.

Last year, 16 accidents and 560 fatalities were recorded – still a considerable improvement from the previous year, which saw 21 fatal accidents and 986 fatalities. 2015 also logged below the ten-year average number of incidents which stands at 31 accidents and 714 fatalities.

Sources:

http://www.airlineratings.com/airlines-ratings.php

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jan/07/qantas-named-worlds-safest-airline

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3385599/Qantas-named-safest-airline-world.html

http://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/gallery/95-years-of-qantas-history-2/