World’s safest – and least safe – airlines revealed
Qantas has been named as the world’s safest airline for the third year running by Australian review website AirlineRatings.com.
Virgin Atlantic was the only British full service carrier to feature in the top 20, scraping in at number 19. British Airways fell out of the top 10 this year.
AirlineRatings.com said Qantas took the top slot due to its ‘fatality free’ record and a number of other factors.
Air New Zealand came second and Alaska Airlines third, followed by All Nippon, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad, EVA Air and Finnair.
Of the airlines surveyed, 148 received the top seven-star ranking, but BA scored only six and Ryanair had five, the same as Malaysia Airlines which lost two aircraft in 2014.
Airlines that received only one star and were considered to be the least safe in the world were all found in Indonesia, Nepal and Suriname.
The 10 least safe were Batik Air, Bluewing Airlines, Citilink, Kal-Star Aviation, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air, TrnsNusa, Trigana Air Service, Wings Air and Xpress Air, according to AirlineRatings.com.
Aer Lingus topped a new list introduced for the best budget airlines, followed by Flybe in second place and HK Express in third. Thomas Cook and TUI Fly came in at six and seven respectively.
The editors of AirlineRatings.com said these airlines were chosen because of their excellent safety records and they meet IATA standards. Ryanair, Europe’s biggest budget airline, is not a member of IATA.
Other factors considered by AirlineRatings.com include audits by aviation authorities and governments, reported incidents from the past 12 months and an airline’s fatality record.
Meanwhile, the South Korean transport ministry has ordered a safety audit of all the country’s low cost carriers after a JIn Air Boeing 737 took off with a door partially open.
The flight turned back back shortly after take-off from Cebu, Philippines en route to Busan, after some of the 163 passengers complained of loud noise and headaches.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026