AirlineRatings.com, a website that studies and rates airline safety and services, has shared its annual list of the world’s Top 25 Safest Full-Service Airlines and Top 25 Safest Low-Cost Airlines. The lists are based on data from 385 airlines worldwide.
Air New Zealand took the top spot among full-service airlines, followed closely by Qantas in second place. A three-way tie for third included Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, and Emirates. For low-cost airlines, HK Express came in first thanks to its perfect safety record.
The rankings consider many safety factors, such as the age of the aircraft, number of incidents, pilot training, and official safety audits. Airlines that have had serious accidents or failed safety checks are not included in the list.
This year, Iberia and Vietnam Airlines joined the full-service list for the first time, while Korean Air moved up into the top ten. On the low-cost list, Jet2, Zipair, and Air Baltic made their debut. Spirit Airlines dropped off the list after entering bankruptcy last year.
Experts note that many incidents happen because of manufacturing issues, not pilot errors. For example, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 had a problem when a part came loose during flight. The issue was later linked to the aircraft’s maker, not the airline.
Even though airplane incidents make headlines, flying is still very safe. From 2018 to 2022, the chance of dying in a flight accident was about one in 13.7 million. In comparison, over 1 million people died in car accidents in 2023.
