• 1. Qantas. The airline has taken first place in AirlineRatings.com's annual list of the safest airlines around the globe. Photo: AFP
    1. Qantas. The airline has taken first place in AirlineRatings.com's annual list of the safest airlines around the globe. Photo: AFP
  • 2. Air New Zealand. The airline has slipped down from first to second place in the ranking of 385 global airlines. Photo: AP
    2. Air New Zealand. The airline has slipped down from first to second place in the ranking of 385 global airlines. Photo: AP
  • 3. Etihad Airways. The national carrier of the UAE is the highest-ranked Middle Eastern airline in the list. Photo: Etihad
    3. Etihad Airways. The national carrier of the UAE is the highest-ranked Middle Eastern airline in the list. Photo: Etihad
  • 4. Qatar Airways. In fourth place, it's one of three Middle Eastern airlines in the top 20. Reuters
    4. Qatar Airways. In fourth place, it's one of three Middle Eastern airlines in the top 20. Reuters
  • 5. Singapore Airlines. The carrier has slipped down one place from fourth. Reuters
    5. Singapore Airlines. The carrier has slipped down one place from fourth. Reuters
  • 6. TAP Air Portugal is the flag carrier airline of Portugal and ranks sixth in the 2023 ranking. Reuters / Rafael Marchante
    6. TAP Air Portugal is the flag carrier airline of Portugal and ranks sixth in the 2023 ranking. Reuters / Rafael Marchante
  • 7. Emirates. The Dubai airline has climbed 13 places to rank as the seventh-safest airline in the world. Photo: Emirates
    7. Emirates. The Dubai airline has climbed 13 places to rank as the seventh-safest airline in the world. Photo: Emirates
  • 8. Alaska Airlines. The carrier ranked the eighth-safest airline in the world for 2023. Photo: David Ryder / Bloomberg
    8. Alaska Airlines. The carrier ranked the eighth-safest airline in the world for 2023. Photo: David Ryder / Bloomberg
  • 9. EVA Air. The Taiwanese airline holds its ninth place from 2022. EPA-EFE
    9. EVA Air. The Taiwanese airline holds its ninth place from 2022. EPA-EFE
  • 10. Virgin Australia/Virgin Atlantic. The airline rounds out the top 10. Photo: AFP
    10. Virgin Australia/Virgin Atlantic. The airline rounds out the top 10. Photo: AFP
  • 11. Cathay Pacific. The Hong Kong airline ranks as one of the world's safest. Reuters
    11. Cathay Pacific. The Hong Kong airline ranks as one of the world's safest. Reuters
  • 12. Hawaiian Airlines. The carrier sits 12th in the list. Reuters
    12. Hawaiian Airlines. The carrier sits 12th in the list. Reuters
  • 13. SAS. The Scandinavian airline has fallen seven places in 2023. Photo: Carsten Snejbjerg / Bloomberg
    13. SAS. The Scandinavian airline has fallen seven places in 2023. Photo: Carsten Snejbjerg / Bloomberg
  • 14. United Airlines. The carrier is one of several US airlines in the ranking. AP Photo
    14. United Airlines. The carrier is one of several US airlines in the ranking. AP Photo
  • 15. Lufthansa. The German air carrier holds the 15th spot in the annual safety ranking. Reuters
    15. Lufthansa. The German air carrier holds the 15th spot in the annual safety ranking. Reuters
  • 16. Finland's largest and flag carrier Finnair is the world's sixteenth safest airline. ReuterS / Phil Noble
    16. Finland's largest and flag carrier Finnair is the world's sixteenth safest airline. ReuterS / Phil Noble
  • 17. British Airways. The UK's flag carrier ranks in the world's safest airlines. Reuters
    17. British Airways. The UK's flag carrier ranks in the world's safest airlines. Reuters
  • 18. KLM. The flag carrier of the Netherlands holds a spot in the top 20. Reuters
    18. KLM. The flag carrier of the Netherlands holds a spot in the top 20. Reuters
  • 19. American Airlines. The carrier has slipped to 19th in the annual list. Reuters / Joshua Roberts
    19. American Airlines. The carrier has slipped to 19th in the annual list. Reuters / Joshua Roberts
  • 20. Delta Air Lines. The US airline rounds out the top 20. AP Photo
    20. Delta Air Lines. The US airline rounds out the top 20. AP Photo

Travel

Airlines

Etihad Airways and Emirates among top 10 in world's safest airlines list for 2023

Australia’s national carrier Qantas is the world’s safest, according to AirlineRatings.com’s annual ranking

Hayley Skirka
Hayley Skirka

January 03, 2023

  • English
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Qantas has been named the world’s safest airline for the year.

AirlineRatings.com has revealed its top 20 safest airlines for 2023, with the Australian carrier nabbing the top spot and two UAE airlines making the top 10, out of 385 carriers across the globe.

Etihad Airways, the UAE's national airline, ranks in third place, just behind last year’s winner Air New Zealand.

Emirates is listed in seventh place, climbing 13 places from last year's ranking.

'Etihad and Emirates are both standouts when it comes to safety,' AirlineRatings.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas told The National. Photo: Etihad
'Etihad and Emirates are both standouts when it comes to safety,' AirlineRatings.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas told The National. Photo: Etihad

“Etihad and Emirates are both standouts when it comes to safety,” AirlineRatings.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas told The National on Tuesday.

“Both airlines lead the world in the purchase of new, safer and more fuel-efficient aircraft. And both carriers have been launch customers for new designs such as the 777X.”

The aviation expert also commended Emirates and Etihad for improving safety standards.

“Of course, there is always room for improvement to reduce the number of serious incidents and in this year’s ranking, both airlines did reduce the number of incidents,” he added.

“There was very little between the top 10 safest airlines in our scoring.”

Qantas is the world's safest airline in 2023

A Qantas passenger plane takes off from Sydney International Airport. AFP
A Qantas passenger plane takes off from Sydney International Airport. AFP

Qantas regained its 2021 top spot in this year's ranking, climbing six places since last year.

The airline has a 100-year operational history and is recognised as the world’s oldest continuously operating airline. It previously topped the annual safety rankings from 2014 to 2017 and again from 2019 to 2021.

During the pandemic, Qantas was forced to ground the majority of its fleet after Australia implemented some of the world's strictest Covid-19 control measures, effectively banning travel.

AirlineRatings.com monitors 385 airlines around the world. A range of factors are considered as part of its annual ranking of the world's safest airlines, including serious incidents, recent fatal accidents, industry-leading safety initiatives, expert pilot training assessment and the age of each airline's fleet.

“Our top 20 safest airlines are all standouts in the industry and are at the forefront of safety, innovation and launching of new aircraft,” said Thomas.

The top 20 safest airlines in the world in 2023

The world's safest airlines for 2023 have been revealed, with Qantas leading the pack and two UAE airlines making the top 10. Reuters
The world's safest airlines for 2023 have been revealed, with Qantas leading the pack and two UAE airlines making the top 10. Reuters
  1. Qantas
  2. Air New Zealand
  3. Etihad Airways
  4. Qatar Airways
  5. Singapore Airlines
  6. TAP Air Portugal
  7. Emirates
  8. Alaska Airlines
  9. EVA Air
  10. Virgin Australia/Virgin Atlantic
  11. Cathay Pacific
  12. Hawaiian Airlines
  13. SAS
  14. United Airlines
  15. Lufthansa/Swiss Group
  16. Finnair
  17. British Airways
  18. KLM
  19. American Airlines
  20. Delta Air Lines
Updated: January 03, 2023, 8:00 AM
AirlinesEtihad Airways