AirlineRatings.com, a website specializing in airline safety and product ratings, has unveiled its latest ranking of the 25 safest airlines globally, following the recent Japan Airlines crash in Tokyo.
Notably, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is not included in the list, sparking concerns about the national carrier's safety standards.
“This year we went for a top 25 because the margins were so small between these airlines,” explained Geoffrey Thomas, the editor-in-chief of AirlineRatings.com.
The site employs a seven-star rating system, considering factors such as serious incidents, recent fatal accidents, audits from aviation authorities, safety initiatives, pilot training, and fleet age.
Air New Zealand secured the top spot, with Qantas following closely behind.
Thomas highlighted the minimal difference between the two, citing Qantas's slight loss of points due to fleet age, an aspect the airline plans to address in the coming year.
Surprisingly, only one US carrier, Alaska Airlines, made it to the top 10 list.
Thomas mentioned that US carriers' rankings were affected by the age of their fleets, but improvements were underway with major replacement programs.
Despite its historical prominence, PIA did not secure a spot on the list, likely due to its current financial challenges.
The absence of PIA in the top 25 emphasizes concerns about the airline's state, which was once a dominant force in the skies.
Last year, PIA faced a critical situation when one of its aircraft engines caught fire mid-air, narrowly avoiding a major crisis.
Here is the list of the world's top 25 safest airlines and the safest low-cost airlines:
Top 25 Safest Airlines:
- Air New Zealand
- Qantas
- Virgin Australia
- Etihad Airways
- Qatar Airways
- Emirates
- All Nippon Airways
- Finnair
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Alaska Airlines
- SAS
- Korean Air
- Singapore Airlines
- EVA Air
- British Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- TAP Air Portugal
- Lufthansa/Swiss Group
- KLM
- Japan Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- American Airlines
- Air France
- Air Canada Group
- United Airlines
20 Safest Low-Cost Airlines:
- Jetstar
- easyJet
- Ryanair
- Wizz
- Norwegian
- Frontier
- Vueling
- Vietjet
- Southwest
- Volaris
- flydubai
- AirAsia Group
- Cebu Pacific
- Sun Country
- Spirit
- Westjet
- JetBlue
- Air Arabia
- Indigo
- Eurowings
