After a year in which the aviation industry battled its worst crisis, there is light at the end of the tunnel as travel begins to return in some regions around the world.
While many airlines were forced to ground fleets for several months owing to restrictions imposed to help control the global pandemic, others have returned to the skies as travellers begin to gain confidence once again.
To coincide with this return of travel, AirlineRatings.com has revealed the top 10 best low-cost airlines in the world. The ranking can be used by passengers to decide which airline to book, by those seeking the best in affordable flying.
The Australian aviation safety and product rating agency compiles its rankings based on several criteria, including the age of the fleet, passenger reviews and product offerings. This year, airlines have also been ranked based on how they responded to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The top 10 low-cost airlines in 2021
1. easyJet (UK)
2. Jetstar (Australia)
3. Frontier (US)
4. JetBlue (US)
5. Ryanair (Ireland)
6. Scoot (Singapore)
7. Southwest (US)
8. VietJet Air (Vietnam)
9. Volaris (Mexico)
10. WestJet (Canada)
AirlineRatings.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas said that “each of these airlines has an excellent safety record and has made a big difference in their market”.
“From Southwest Airlines, which started the low-cost revolution in the 1970s, to JetBlue, which redefines the low-cost product, each airline has made a huge contribution to affordable travel.
“In Europe, it’s easyJet and Ryanair, in Asia Jetstar and Scoot, while in Americas one can add Frontier, Volaris and WestJet to Southwest and JetBlue. All are standouts.”
Sharjah's Air Arabia made its debut in 2020's list, but has been left out of the top 10 this year. It did, however, rank in the top 10 low-cost safest airline rankings that were published in January.
No other UAE airline was included in the top 10 list this year. That's despite an expansion of budget air travel providers, with the launch of two new low-cost airlines in Abu Dhabi.
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi have commenced operations since the onset of the global pandemic, and offer flights in and out of the UAE capital.
How are the top 10 airlines chosen?
AirlineRatings.com chooses the top 10 budget airlines based on excellent safety and incident records, as well as commending those that have completed the stringent International Air Transport Association (Iata) Operational Safety Audit.
This optional evaluation system checks airlines on more than 1,000 points and is reassessed every two years.
The website also offers travellers a tool where they can compare the safety assessments of almost 400 airlines monitored by the rating agency.
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
RESULTS
Lightweight (female)
Sara El Bakkali bt Anisha Kadka
Bantamweight
Mohammed Adil Al Debi bt Moaz Abdelgawad
Welterweight
Amir Boureslan bt Mahmoud Zanouny
Featherweight
Mohammed Al Katheeri bt Abrorbek Madaminbekov
Super featherweight
Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
Middleweight
Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
Bantamweight (female)
Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
Welterweight
Nouredine Samir bt Marlon Ribeiro
Super welterweight
Brad Stanton bt Mohamed El Boukhari
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
