Ranking of Airlines by Safety (Based on Accidents and Serious Snags, 2005–2025)

Ranking of Airlines by Safety (2005–2025) Based on the provided data, airlines are ranked by their records of fatal accidents and serious snags (e.g., engine failures, system malfunctions, near-misses) from 2005 to 2025, using AirlineRatings.com’s 2025 safety rankings, JACDEC, and other sources. The ranking prioritizes airlines with no fatal accidents and minimal serious snags, followed by those with isolated incidents or manageable snags. Due to limited comprehensive data on exact snag counts, the ranking relies on safety performance, fleet age, and reported incidents. #### Top Safest Airlines (No Fatal Accidents, Minimal Serious Snags) 1. **Qatar Airways** - **Safety Record**: No fatal accidents since founding (1993). Tied for 3rd in AirlineRatings.com’s 2025 safest airlines. Minor snags (e.g., technical delays) but no major safety issues. - **Fleet Age**: ~5 years, modern and reliable. - **Notes**: Strong safety practices, IOSA compliance, and proactive maintenance. 2. **Emirates** - **Safety Record**: No fatal accidents since 2005. Notable incident: 2016 Dubai crash (Flight 521, no passenger fatalities, one firefighter died, landing gear snag). Tied for 3rd in 2025 safest airlines. Occasional snags (e.g., engine issues). - **Fleet Age**: ~7 years, large modern fleet (262 aircraft). - **Notes**: Robust audits and training mitigate snags effectively. 3. **Etihad Airways** - **Safety Record**: No fatal accidents since founding (2003). Ranked 8th in 2024 AirlineRatings.com. Minimal serious snags, focus on preventive maintenance. - **Fleet Age**: ~6 years, modern and efficient. - **Notes**: IOSA-compliant, strong snag prevention through technology. 4. **Oman Air** - **Safety Record**: No fatal accidents in 20 years. Strong regional safety record, though not in top 25 safest lists. Limited snag reports. - **Fleet Age**: ~6–8 years, relatively modern. - **Notes**: IOSA-compliant, robust maintenance limits snags. 5. **Flynas** - **Safety Record**: No fatal accidents since founding (2007). Included in 2025 safest low-cost carriers. Minor snags (e.g., technical delays), no major incidents. - **Fleet Age**: ~5–7 years, modern low-cost fleet. - **Notes**: Adheres to Saudi regulations and IOSA standards. 6. **IndiGo** - **Safety Record**: No fatal accidents since founding (2006). Ranked 15th among low-cost carriers in 2025. Minor incidents (e.g., runway excursions) and snags (e.g., A320neo engine issues), no fatalities. - **Fleet Age**: ~6 years, one of Asia’s youngest fleets. - **Notes**: IOSA-compliant, addressing snags through maintenance and expansion. #### Airlines with Strong Safety Records but Notable Incidents or Snags 7. **Singapore Airlines** - **Safety Record**: No fatal accidents since 2000 (pre-2005). 2024 turbulence incident (SQ321, one fatality) and occasional snags (e.g., engine, hydraulic issues) excluded it from 2025 top 25 safest list but retains seven-star safety rating. - **Fleet Age**: ~7 years, modern and well-maintained. - **Notes**: World-class training, but turbulence and snags highlight improvement areas. 8. **KLM** - **Safety Record**: No fatal accidents since 2005. Missed 2025 top 25 safest list due to minor incidents and snags (e.g., technical malfunctions). Seven-star safety rating. - **Fleet Age**: ~10 years, slightly older, increasing snag risk. - **Notes**: Strong European standards, but older fleet requires vigilant maintenance. 9. **British Airways** - **Safety Record**: No fatal accidents since 2005. Ranked 21st in 2024. Reported snags (e.g., engine, IT system issues), no fatalities. - **Fleet Age**: ~11 years, older but modernized. - **Notes**: UK regulatory oversight, snag mitigation through maintenance. 10. **Turkish Airlines** - **Safety Record**: One fatal accident (2009, Flight 1951, Amsterdam, 9 fatalities, faulty altimeter snag). No fatal accidents since. Ranked 20th in 2025 safest airlines. Occasional snags (e.g., avionics issues). - **Fleet Age**: ~7 years, modern fleet (over 300 aircraft). - **Notes**: Improved training and maintenance post-2009, IOSA-compliant. #### Airlines with Limited Data or Lower Safety Rankings 11. **SriLankan Airlines** - **Safety Record**: No fatal accidents since 2005. Ranked 19th in 2025 top airlines. Limited snag data; financial issues may increase maintenance risks. - **Fleet Age**: ~10–12 years, older, potentially snag-prone. - **Notes**: IOSA-compliant, but financial constraints pose risks. 12. **Salaam Air** - **Safety Record**: No fatal accidents since founding (2016). Limited data due to small size and regional focus. No major snags reported. - **Fleet Age**: ~5–6 years, modern low-cost fleet. - **Notes**: Adheres to Oman’s standards, limited global audit data. ### Notes on Ranking - **Data Limitations**: Exact counts of accidents and snags for 2005–2025 are incomplete due to inconsistent reporting. Rankings rely on fatal accidents (zero for most airlines), serious incidents, and snag frequency/severity as reported by AirlineRatings.com, JACDEC, and web sources. - **Salaam Air**: Limited operational history (since 2016) restricts data, but no fatal accidents or major snags noted. - **Context**: Aviation safety is high, with a death risk per boarding of ~1 in 13.7 million (2018–2022). 2024 saw 318 fatalities across 11 accidents, up from 72 in 2023, with snags contributing to some incidents.

- **Other Airlines for Context**: - **Air New Zealand**: Ranked 1st in 2025, no fatal accidents, minimal snags. - **Qantas**: Ranked 2nd, no fatal accidents in jet era, few snags. - **Cathay Pacific**: Tied for 3rd, no fatal accidents since 2005, manageable snags. - **American Airlines**: Ranked 13th, no fatal accidents, some snags. - **Delta Air Lines**: Ranked 21st, no fatal accidents, minor snags. - **United Airlines**: Ranked 23rd, no fatal accidents, some snags.