Finnair is the world’s safest airline, according to Europe’s Jet Airliner Crash Data Evaluation Centre. It ranked Air New Zealand second, followed by Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific. No US airline made the top 20, Southwest Airlines coming in highest at 21st, and Ryanair came 32nd.
JACDEC collects and analyses safety occurrences from airlines around the world. The Safety Index ratings are calculated by comparing serious incidents suffered by airlines over the past 30 years to the revenue passenger kilometres they have flown over the same period. Airlines are also measured against other international safety benchmarks.
In total, there were 496 fatalities on commercial flights last year, two fewer than in 2011. The number of hull losses (aircraft right-offs) was 44, one less than the previous year.
Safety Index Top Ten
1 Finnair
2 Air New Zealand
3 Cathay Pacific
4 Emirates
5 Etihad Airways
6 Eva Air
7 Tap Portugal
8 Hainan Airlines
9 Virgin Australia
10 British Airways
