Etihad Airways has been named the world’s safest airline in the latest rankings published by AirlineRatings.com, an airline safety and product review site. It marks the first time a Gulf carrier has taken the top position.
While Etihad ranks No 1 on this year’s list, Qatar Airways and Emirates airline also place within the top five, at No 4 and No 5 respectively. Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific takes the second spot and Australia’s Qantas comes in third (see full list below).
“We are incredibly proud to receive one of the most respected airline safety awards in the world from an independent, globally recognised organisation,” says Antonoaldo Neves, chief executive of Etihad. “As the first Gulf carrier to achieve this position, it reflects the strength of our safety culture, the dedication of our people and the aviation excellence of our region.
“This recognition is a reminder that safety is never achieved in isolation. Across aviation, airlines continuously share best practices and learn from experience, supported by a strong regulatory environment that sets demanding standards and pushes the bar higher. In the UAE, this framework challenges us to meet the highest levels,” adds Neves.
Of the first year that a Gulf carrier has taken the prime spot, Sharon Petersen, chief executive of AirlineRatings.com, explains: “Etihad achieved this through a combination of factors, including a young fleet, advancements in cockpit safety – particularly around turbulence – a crash-free history, and the lowest incident rate per flight of any airline on the list.”
Petersen adds that the airline also participated in the company’s independent on-board safety audit and demonstrated strong adherence to in-cabin turbulence management procedures.
Elsewhere in the rankings, UAE carrier flydubai was also recognised, earning a place among the top five safest low-cost airlines, coming in at No 4 (see full list below).
The rankings are determined by assessing airlines across a range of criteria, including serious incidents over the past two years, fleet age and size, incident and fatality rates, and pilot training and skill.
Flight to the finish
Founded in 2012, AirlineRatings describes itself as a one-stop resource for airline-related information, supported by a team of aviation editors who have “forensically researched nearly every airline in the world”.
“What stands out this year is how little separates the leaders,” Petersen says. “Less than four points covered positions 1 through 14, and at the very top the margins were even tighter, with just 1.3 points separating positions 1 through 6 in the full-service category.
“We may be reaching a point where traditional rankings risk being misleading, and where grouping airlines into performance tiers provides a more accurate reflection of reality. All airlines in the top 25 are world leaders in aviation safety, and claims that one is significantly safer or less safe than another are both sensationalist and false.”
Top 25 safest full-service airlines
- Etihad Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Emirates
- Air New Zealand
- Singapore Airlines
- EVA Air
- Virgin Australia
- Korean Air
- StarLux
- Turkish Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- ANA
- Alaska Airlines
- TAP Air Portugal
- SAS
- British Airways
- Vietnam Airlines
- Iberia
- Lufthansa
- Air Canada
- Delta
- American Airlines
- Fiji Airways
Top 25 safest low-cost airlines
- HK Express
- Jetstar Airways
- Scoot
- FlyDubai
- EasyJet Group
- Southwest
- AirBaltic
- VietJet Air
- Wizz Air Group
- AirAsia Group
- TUI UK
- Vueling
- Norwegian
- JetBlue
- FlyNAS
- Cebu Pacific
- Jet2
- Ryanair Ireland and UK
- Spring Airlines China
- Transavia Group
- Eurowings Group
- Volaris
- WestJet Group
- GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes
- Sky Airline Chile
