Safest Airline In The World

Islandboy · Mon Feb 02, 2004 11:49 am

Who do you think is the safest Airline in the World? The one with either no crashes/accidents or who crashed a long time ago and now have a good safety record.

NIKV69 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 11:54 am

Has to be Qantas, without question..

trijetfan1 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 11:55 am

Statistically- Qantas and Virgin Atlantic

N766UA · Mon Feb 02, 2004 11:57 am

I don't beleive Qantas has ever had a fatal crash. I think they had an overrun a couple years ago, but that's about it.

Fiedman · Mon Feb 02, 2004 11:58 am

I think El Al Israel Airlines would also be rated as one of the safest in the world as well.

aa61hvy · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:00 pm

Air Tahiti Nui has got to be up there also

NIKV69 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:00 pm

Yes El AL is good, isn't it funny what happens when you arm your pilots? Safest Airline still goes to Qantas..Hands down..

jutes85 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:03 pm

Qantas and EL AL hands down. However, in terms of fatalities Qantas wins, but I feel safer on an EL AL if a hijack ever occurs.

trijetfan1 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:06 pm

Yes good point, see how successfully El Al was when they armed their pilots and it is even more admirable because they are operating in probably the most dangerous parts of the world today.

NIKV69 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:07 pm

Don't think you have to ever worry about a hijackacking on EL AL, I am not sure but I think they have had one attempted hijacking and the hijacker was killed. We need that here in the US. No more flight cancellations please, we can never live in fear..

9v-svc · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:15 pm

Air Canada has the safest record.There was one incient, The 767 AC ran out of fuel because of miscalculation of fuel while refilling on the ground. The pilots managed to land the plane safely without the power of the two engines.

HA_DC9 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:19 pm

Hawaiian also has never had a fatality. The only incident that comes to mind is that DC-10 runway overrun in Tahiti a few years back.

AJ · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:24 pm

9V-SVC, Air Canada had fatalities after a toilet fire in a DC-9.

jutes85 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:25 pm

9V-SVC,

I believe you are inncorrent about Air Canada. If you count all of the Provincial Air Services that are still technically part of Air Canada, it would rule the carrier out. There were a number of accidents with death tolls over 20 people, one I recall is the one somewhere in Ontario in a DeHavilland Dash.

757KSLC · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:33 pm

Confirmed, stats say Qantas.

NIKV69 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:34 pm

Yep Air Canada has had fatalities, come on people it has been Qantas for a long time and looks that way for a long time to come.

jeckPDX · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:48 pm

Forgot to mention Southwest, America West, and a few others here in the US. Southwest had an incident with an overrun, but no fatalities. I may be mistaken, but I'm almost certain HP has never had a fatality either. As far as intl carriers, Qantas wins it hands down. I also beleive Cathay Pacific has an admirable safety record unlike other carriers in the reigon.

JeckPDX

oznznut · Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:56 pm

9V-SVC
Air Canada a DC-9 fire inflight over Kentucky and dumped a DC-8 (CF-TIW) with 109 fatalities on 5 July 1970. Sorry about that.

Thrust · Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:35 pm

We have no idea really who is and who is not the safest. Fleet age could be a factor, but also the pilots who work for the airline, the terrorist's airline picks, and many other factors determine the answer to this question. In my opinion, the answer cannot be proven. Therefore, I will select no one airline as safer than another. We don't really know anyway.

NIKV69 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:43 pm

Exactly, all those factors contribute to the final result..

QANTAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Safest in the world...Doesn't matter how they do it, they just do it.

I commend them..

Cory6188 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:44 pm

Although you might want to actually analyze the numbers, I think that most any airline based in a relatively stable nation with a competent equivalent of the FAA would be safe. To me, as long as there have been no incidents pointing to negligence on the part of the airline, I would consider it safe. In Gordon Bethune's book From Worst to First, for example, he says that safety at every carrier is sacrosanct in the fact that they don't take risks with safety. For example, in the US, I would consider most any airline safe - AA, B6, CO, DL, NW (even with the DC-9s), WN, UA, US, HA, AQ (although their aging 732s bother me a little, especially in comparion to HA's 717s), etc.

However, I will NOT fly on AirTran, regardless of what anyone says. Although they may think a name change may erase their past, I have read too many reports of smoke in the cockpit and similar issues (on their new 717s, to boot!) to be convinced that they are as safe as the other majors. The people that work for FL are wonderful I'm sure, and I don't mean to offend anyone, but the constant reports of problems bother me. Smile

[Edited 2004-02-02 05:47:02]

9v-svc · Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:46 pm

Oops, sorry for my mistake. Looks like I have to do more research on AC.

Thanks guys for pointing out my mistake.

Hardkor · Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:46 pm

To determine the safest airline, you have to consider the incident to flight ratio. Yes, Qantas has never had a fatality, but how many flights do they have compared to a larger carrier, such as United or Lufthansa? Same with Air Tahiti. By the way, Air Canada had an F-28 crash in Dryden, ON in 1988 I think. The pilots failed to de-ice the plane, crashed during takeoff.

wingnutmn · Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:51 pm

I think that of the 5 majors in the US, NW has the safest record. Only one major crash in the last 20 years. DTW in 1986. Son't know about their distant history though. AA, DL, US, and UA all have had a few crashes within that timeframe. Not too sure though on CO. I know they had that DC10 fire a while back, but couldn't recall any fatalities. But world wide, it has to be Qantas. Can't go wrong with a mainly widebody long haul fleet and no fatalities!

Wingnut

NIKV69 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:53 pm

AirTran should not be allowed to even operate, what Valuejet did was horrible, and I don't care that Sabre Tech was a sub cont, that was horrible and gross negligence. I wouldn't fly them if you gave me the airline..

May all those poor souls that died haunt Joe Leonard for the rest of his life..

Thrust · Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:56 pm

As a customer, there's really no way of telling whether you're in for a dangerous flight or not, unless you see people sneaking on board with guns. The average customer normally does not choose an airline for its proven safety record, I know I would not. Flight expenses, service qualities, and booking would influence my decision to fly an airline, as well as simple love for an airline, not because of safety reasons.

aerlingusa330 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:57 pm

Is there a website that has all the records (statistically) for most major airlines? I know the FAA has some but they aren't extensive.

tcfc424 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 2:10 pm

AA safe? Wasn't that widebody crash a result of gross neglect on the part of MX? I thought it was a DC-10...was some time ago....

CO has had its share of mishaps (though I love CO)...

They may never have had any fatalities...but HP scares me with all that duct tape...(joke...sort of)

WN has had no fatalities and very few incidents (although there is a pic of a 737 that either overran or was misguided during MX in a gas station parking lot)

My vote goes for QANTAS...

Russophile · Mon Feb 02, 2004 2:11 pm

Yes El AL is good, isn't it funny what happens when you arm your pilots?

It has nothing to do with arming your pilots. It has more to do with interrogations which would make Dzerzhinsky proud, and complete searches at the airport. Why else do you think you have to check-in for an El Al flight 3 hours before departure?

As to the OP, there are too many variables in aviation to be certify what is the safest airline in the world, past or present. Mere statistics are not enough. People can say that statistically, QANTAS is the safest airline, but I can easily dazzle you with brilliance (and even baffle you with bullshit) to show that Aeroflot Soviet was in fact 'safer' than QANTAS.

NIKV69 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 2:15 pm

It has nothing to do with arming your pilots?

Oh yes it does, interrogations are great but our pilots need to be armed.

This plus the cockpit doors are the biggest steps in safe airline travel..

jeckPDX · Mon Feb 02, 2004 3:16 pm

As far as the issue with AirTran and ValuJet, aside from the extensive incident list, this could have happened to any other carrier. SabreTech does (or did do)maintenance for a wide variety of airlines, CO to name one. It was just a stupid mistake that could have been made on any plane, any airline!

The incident record for AirTran has greatly improved and I will now fly them (as I would not as few years back).

Tcfc434: America West uses duct tape on their planes? If so, I have yet to see it (I'm an HP FF) In my opinion, their a/c are remarkably well kept and feel suprisingly modern (something I can say for very few 732s out there) I do hope they maintain theyre excellent safety record.

JeckPDX

alphascan · Mon Feb 02, 2004 3:38 pm

Joe Leonard never even worked for Valuejet. He joined AirTran three years after the Flight 532 tragedy.

ETStar · Mon Feb 02, 2004 3:57 pm

Even though El Al is perceived to be one of the safest airlines, I refuse to put my pride and dignity aside to be scrutinized, questioned and terrorized to fly with that airline. There are limits to everything. I enjoy flying, I find it to be fun, and don't want to have to do it in some state where paranoid security is all around me, or where the aircraft I am in is accompanied by some armoured vehicle up to the runway (ie El Al in Zurich). Now this is what instills fear, this is what should make the passengers ask themselves WHY they are flying this airline, knowing that it is a target wish. Also, those who attribute El Al's safer record on pilots with guns should know that their record is not based solely on this - there is much much more that the airline and its government puts into it.

NIKV69 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 4:21 pm

My apoligies on Joe Leonard. SabreTech or no SabreTech Vaulejet should have been more on top of things. That was the one of the most avoidable airline disasters ever. God knows we need less as it is..

QantasA332 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 5:27 pm

Out of all those mentioned, Qantas is definitely the safest, especially when you consider how long they've been operating compared to most other airlines...

qantasA332

HAWK21M · Mon Feb 02, 2004 5:32 pm

Statistically speaking
QANTAS.
regds
HAWK

744 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 5:38 pm

Check this out:

http://www.airsafe.com

[Edited 2004-02-02 09:39:33]

EK345 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 5:41 pm

ETStar:

Well said! Could not have said it better. I think you really hit the nail on the head. El Al is really a terrorist's dream target... so why people want to fly on that airline I really don't know. but yeah safest airline... Qantas for sure.

EK345

HAL · Mon Feb 02, 2004 5:42 pm

I know Qantas has had great record for 84 years, but don't forget about Hawaiian Airlines. In business 75 years as of this year. Zero passenger fatalaties in that time. And think of the number of segments they've flown with the interisland service during that time. The worst accident in their history was the runway overrun in Tahiti about three years ago, and in that one NOBODY was hurt. Only some damage to the airplane which was returned to service a few months later.

HAL

Akumas · Mon Feb 02, 2004 5:45 pm

In my opinion Qantas Airways ( QF ) are the safest.

NIKV69 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 6:05 pm

Though Hawaiian has a great safety record they are much smaller than Qantas. Qantas is probably the longest haul carrier in the world and probably flies at least twice as many passengers than Hawaiin does a year. Again great safety record for Hawaiin but the nod still goes to the Kangaroo!!!

will · Mon Feb 02, 2004 6:13 pm

Without a doubt....Qantas.......

AMM744 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 6:46 pm

One Word - Qantas.

Really quite amazing that an airline that flies the farthest possible routes on Earth has the best safety record.

I would definately choose Qantas if flying down under.

Great work guys, keep it up.

AMM744 · Mon Feb 02, 2004 6:48 pm

One Word - Qantas.

Really quite amazing that an airline that flies the farthest possible routes on Earth has the best safety record.

I would definately choose Qantas if flying down under.

Great work guys, keep it up.

nwa man · Mon Feb 02, 2004 6:52 pm

A few corrections to make...

Air Canada's crash in Cincy only killed 23 passengers (there were only 46 aboard the DC-9).

http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi_bin/view_details.cgi?date=06021983®=C-FTLU&airline=Air+Canada

And NW did have a major crash at DTW in 1990, which wasn't their fault (ATC and miserable weather), as a 727 crashed into a DC9-10 in heavy fog.

http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi_bin/view_details.cgi?date=12031990®=N3313L&airline=Northwest+Airlines

Yes, AA's crash at ORD was a result of a major mechanical breakdown... and it was also 25 years ago, on an aircraft type which they no longer operate. I think the silver bird (along with almost every other US major) is a safe carrier.

ETStar, referring to El Al:
I refuse to put my pride and dignity aside to be scrutinized, questioned and terrorized to fly with that airline.

Then be thankful you don't live in the United States, and aren't subjected to the TSA on a regular basis.

N-Dub

Motorhussy · Mon Feb 02, 2004 7:11 pm

Yes historically speaking Qantas is the safest, but looking at the current global environment I wouldn't be looking at safety based on maintenance and history alone.

QF is the flag carrier for a state whose current government unquestioningly backs the Bush regime's view on how the world should be. This view is not shared by most of the world and exposes Qantas, as a flag-carrier, to targeting by those who wish to make an example of Australia's political perspective. The will of such groups has already been demonstrated against the Australian state in Bali. U.S. airlines, as we all know, have felt this same wrath.

For the same reason, I would choose to never fly El-Al.

What is a safe airline? What is a safe state?

I like flying airlines from small minority states that have good maintenance and service records. Air New Zealand, Polynesian, Air Tahiti Nui are all good from this end of the world.

If you're going to be big brother, accept the responsibilities that come with it.

Pax Americana!
MH

globetrekker · Mon Feb 02, 2004 8:29 pm

Hmmm, what can I say.... definitely QANTAS..

Dexter · Mon Feb 02, 2004 8:59 pm

These major airlines never had a single hull-loss:
Emirates
Hawaiian Air
Virgin Atlantic Airways

These had no fatal accidents:
America West
Southwest
Qantas

I think WN is the winner here, because it is by far the largest of these airlines.

iSwiss · Mon Feb 02, 2004 9:08 pm

I would say... Swiss... Big grin

Ok... the company is only two years old. Big grin

Guest · Mon Feb 02, 2004 9:09 pm

Are Qantas and El Al at the same level??

Sorry, no way! Remember 1992 when an EL AL Cargo 747 crashed in Amsterdam.

Qantas never had an accident, so don't put them on the same level.

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