Published on Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Agency publishes list of world's safest airlines

Air France, British Airways, KLM and Lufthansa are the safest airlines in Europe, according to the Geneva-based air Transport Rating Agency (ATRA), which this week published a list of the world's 10 most reliable carriers.

The safest US carriers are American Airlines and its associate American Eagle, together with Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways.

Qantas, which used to be considered the world's safest airline, failed to make it into the top 10 this year after a string of widely publicised safety incidents over the past three years.

Japan Airlines was the only airline outside the US and Europe to make it into the top 10, although the rating agency did not place the airlines in any order.

ATRA said it used available information on 15 criteria, such as the average age of the aircraft used or the homogeneity of the fleet.

The agency explained that to understand airline safety, one needed not only to look at accident figures, but also "technical, human, organisational and external" elements.

World's 10 safest airlines (in alphabetical order)

Air France-KLM

AMR Corporation (American Airlines, American Eagles)

British Airways

Continental Airlines

Delta Airlines

Japan Airlines

Lufthansa

Southwest Airlines

United Airlines

US Airways

By TravelMole Asia Pacific

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I think there is an error in the list as Air france is in N~°41 American Airlines N~°40 Continental N~°25 Delta N~°28 Japan Airlines N~°46 Lufthansa N~°21 Southwest N~°22 United Airlines N~°32 EE.UU Airways N~°42 All this information as JACDEC

By gabriela rozas, Monday, September 5, 2011
REALLY???

AirFrance has had 3 major accidents from year 2000-2009, 2 of which are crash. American Airlines? 9 major incidents and accidents from 2000-2009. British has 3 major accidents/incidents in 2000-2008. Continental has had 6 major incidents/accidents in just 5 years from 2006 to 2011. Southwest had 6 major accidents too from 2000-2011 in addition to the fact that several of their fleet were grounded due to poor maintenance. This is biased. A lot airlines deserve more. Wake up ATRA!

By Nad Cruz, Saturday, September 3, 2011
AirFrance? Really?

KLM no problem - but the AF bit must surely drag them down the stats??? How many hull losses??

By Pete Stewart, Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Why Air France?

This list appears meaningless to me. Where are Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Air New Zealand........... the list goes on. To feature just ten airlines headed by Air France is somewhat suspect.

By Gary Westwood, Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Air Canada?

Surprized AC not on list. Can somebody remind me of some AC occurrence?

By John Lang, Tuesday, August 30, 2011