When it comes to flying, some of us are confident while going on a plane, but most of us have fears regarding the possibility of crashing to the ground, especially given the numerous incidents we’ve all heard about over the past few years, so we’re going to take a look at the top 20 safest airlines in the world.
When trying to determine how safe an airline is, you have to take into account many aspects, but most importantly the fatality numbers in the past ten years. Airline Ratings has released its chart for the safest airlines in the world, taking into account not only the fatality numbers, and audits from the governing bodies in aviation, but also government audits.
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For instance, it’s important whether an airline is IOSA or ISSA certified, which are internationally recognized. These, so you know, are evaluation systems created to assess whether the operational management and control systems of an airline are in proper working order. It’s also essential whether the airlines are on the European Union’s blacklist or not since a list of airlines have been banned from flying over EU space due to various safety issues.
Getting endorsed by the FAA in the United States is also a big plus for the airline. Another important issue is whether the country of origin of a particular airline meets the International Civil Aviation Organization safety parameters. All the airlines in the list below have received top safety ratings so we’re going to take a look at them alphabetically.
The drop in oil prices has helped airline operators by reducing their fuel costs. However, a tough competition also forces them to find ways to attract customers and safety is one of the reasons why fliers would choose an airline. 7
However, when it comes to profitability of an airline and the attractiveness of an airline operator to investors, safety though, is not overlooked, is not as important as other metrics. Investors look for fundamentals and many airline operators managed to boost their bottom line on the back of lower fuel costs, which in turn made them more attractive to hedge funds and other institutional investors. Since Insider Monkey is engaged in following the picks of some of the best money managers in the world, it’s a good idea to see what investors from our database think of some of the airlines, whose operators are publicly-traded companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
20. Air New Zealand
The airline has been around since 1940. Back in the 50s, the ownership of the company was split between Australia and New Zealand, but the latter managed to buy its shares back in 1961. Air New Zealand has a fleet of 106, planes and it covers 51 destinations. In recent years, thanks to the increased popularity of the Lord of the Rings movies, Air New Zealand has changed its slogan to “The airline of Middle Earth” since the trilogy was filmed there.
19. Alaska Airlines (Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK))
The history of the airline goes back to 1932 when short flights were all the company knew. In a few years, however, it became the largest airline in Alaska, although it would be a while before it took on the name it has nowadays. By the late 1940s, however, it was already flying across the world. Its fleet counts 147 planes that take people to and from 104 destinations.
Out of more than 730 funds in the Insider Monkey database, only 34 held shares of Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) at the end of September, amassing 13.40% of the company’s outstanding stock. Moreover, during the third quarter, the number of funds with long positions in Alaska Air Group declined by four.
18. All Nippon Airways (ANA)
The Japanese airline started flying domestically in 1954, although the international services didn’t begin until 1986 for ANA, due to the monopoly of these routes by Japan Airlines. Its fleet has some 208 planes that fly to 73 destinations.
17. American Airlines (American Airlines Group Inc (NASDAQ:AAL))
American Airlines has a long history behind it. It all started in 1930 when several small airlines used for mailing purposes united. By the end of the decade it had become the largest domestic airline, which was quite impressive. Even now, after so many years, American Airlines is the second largest airline in the world. It has an impressive fleet that counts some 953 planes, covering 344 destinations.
American Airlines Group Inc (NASDAQ:AAL) also registered a decrease in popularity among smart money investors with 77 funds among those tracked by Insider Monkey reporting long positions as of September 30, down from 85 funds three months earlier. Moreover, these funds held around 7% of American Airlines Group’ outstanding stock heading into the fourth quarter.
16. Cathay Pacific
This airline was founded by two people – an American and an Australian – back in 1946. Nowadays, it has 187 planes, including those destined for cargo flights, and it reaches 177 destinations.
15. Emirates
Emirates airline was founded in 1985 when Dubai was left out of a number of routes. It’s been growing steadily ever since, and it has become one of the largest operators in the world. It has an impressive fleet with some 245 planes that cater to 164 locations from all over the world.
14. Etihad Airways
Created in 2003, Etihad Airways is one of the newest airlines out there, but it’s one that has grown fast. In fact, it is considered to be the fastest-growing airline in the history of commercial aviation, which is no easy feat. It is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates and has its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. It has a fleet of 119 planes that reach 90 destinations from the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and Australia.
13. EVA Air
EVA Air may not be one of the best-known airlines out there, but it received the maximum score just like the rest of the top 20 safest airlines in the world. It was incorporated in 1989 but took its first flights in 1991, which means it’s a young airline compared to some others on the list. The Taiwanese international airline has 63 planes that take passengers to 74 locations, although the list includes cargo destinations too.
12. Finnair
The Finnish airline has a long history, with its first flights taking place back in 1924, it being the fifth oldest airline in the world. Finland’s flag carrier has a fleet that counts 72 planes, although the number includes those held by the Nordic Regional Airline, one of its subsidiaries. Finnair takes passengers to 88 destinations in many corners of the world, although most locations are in Europe.
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11. Hawaiian Airlines (Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:HA))
Before it changed its name to Hawaiian Airlines back in 1941, it was Intern-Island Airways Ltd since 1929. Once it opened its commercial routes, Hawaiian Airlines started bringing in a lot of new visitors to the islands of Hawaii, thus increasing tourism. Its fleet counts 58 planes that cover only 28 destinations.
The parent company of Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:HA) was overlooked by most investors from the Insider Monkey database during the third quarter. The number of investors bullish on the stock declined by two to 22 between July and September, but they still held stakes equal to around 13.80% of the company at the end of the quarter.
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10. Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines was founded in 1951, and it is currently the flag carrier of Japan. It is also the second largest airline in the country, lagging behind All Nippon Airways (ANA). There are 167 planes in its fleet, taking people to 92 destinations in dozens of countries worldwide.
9. KLM
Another European airline on the list is KLM, which started out in 1920 under a name no one outside of the Netherlands could pronounce. It is the oldest airline in the world that continues to operate under its original brand name. KLM has 116 planes in its fleet and it flies to 138 destinations all over the world.
8. Lufthansa
Before Lufthansa, there was Deutsche Luft Hansa, which started out in 1926. Until 1945, it was Germany’s flag carrier, before it took a break. Then, in 1954, it took back the job. Nowadays, it has 266 planes in its fleet, without taking into account the subsidiaries, and it caters to 220 destinations.
7. SAS
Unlike other airlines, this one is the flag carrier for three Scandinavian countries – Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is also the largest airline in these countries. The airline was formed in 1946 when the flag carriers of these three European nations joined forces. SAS has 139 planes in its fleet, taking people to and from 104 locations in Europe, North America, Asia and South America.
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6. Singapore Airlines
The flag carrier of Singapore, Singapore Airlines dates back to 1947, although it only started operations in 1972. There are 109 airplanes in its fleet, catering to 64 destinations in 35 countries on six continents, although it is most present in the Southeast Asia region.
5. Swiss International Air Lines
After Swissair had declared bankruptcy, Swiss International Air Lines was born in March 2002, becoming the country’s flag carrier in its stead. With all its subsidiaries, the airline has over 83 planes that cover 106 destinations in 48 countries. It is part of the Lufthansa Group.
4. United Airlines (United Continental Holdings Inc (NYSE:UAL))
United Airlines has a history going back a long while, starting off as air mail service. It officially took up the name it has nowadays in 1934. The Chicago-based airline has a fleet of 718 planes that cover some 375 destinations.
A total of 70 funds from our database held shares of United Continental Holdings Inc (NYSE:UAL) at the end of September, versus 72 funds a quarter earlier. Despite the small decline in popularity, United Continental still ranks as one of the most popular airline stocks among the investors we follow. Moreover, these funds held almost 15% of the company at the end of September.
3. Virgin Atlantic
The British airline started its operations back in 1984 as the British Atlantic Airways. It is currently owned by the Virgin group, as well as Delta Air Lines, who bought the stake from Singapore Airlines for £224 million. The 49% stake had been bought from Virgin back in 1999 for £600 million and it was reportedly underperforming, which is why Singapore Airlines decided to sell the slice. Virgin Atlantic has 40 planes that fly to 31 destinations.
Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL), which owns 49% of Virgin Atlantic, ranks as the favorite airline stock among the funds we track and is one of the most popular stocks overall, with 109 investors reporting a stake in the company as of the end of September. Despite the fact that the number of funds falling by five between July and September, the investors from our database amassed over 20% of the company heading into the fourth quarter.
2. Virgin Australia
The original name of the airline was Virgin Blue, and its first flight took place back in 2000. It’s the first major and successful low-cost airline made in Australia. It has some 3,000 weekly flights to over 30 Australian cities, out of a total of 50 destinations. Virgin Australia also has some 110 planes in the fleet.
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1. Qantas
Qantas may not be next in the alphabet, but it deserved the number one since it is the only one of the whole lot that has never had any fatalities in the jet era. The Australian airline gets a special mention for this, as it is deserved. The airline was founded in Queensland in 1920, making it the longest continually operating airline in the world. It has a fleet size of 131 planes and covers some 85 destinations. All in all, these make Qantas number one in the top 20 safest airlines in the world.
