For the most part, popular airlines are safe and trustworthy and carry thousands of people from destination to destination on a daily basis – but every year, an airline safety and product reviewing website, AirlineRatings.com, keeps a consistent watch on around 405 airlines and publishes a list of the safest airlines in the world.
In order for airlines to make the list, there are key factors that are looked at including, "audits from aviation's governing and industry bodies, government audits, airline's crash and serious incident record, profitability, industry-leading safety initiatives, and fleet age.”
Since 2014, Australia’s Air Qantas has led the top 20 list and has been at the number one spot. This year, the list is as such:
1- Air Qantas
2- Air New Zealand
3- EVA Air
4- Etihad
5- Qatar Airways
6- Singapore Airlines
7- Emirates
8- Alaska Airlines
9- Cathay Pacific Airways
10- Virgin Australia
11- Hawaiian Airlines
12- Virgin Atlantic Airlines
13- TAP Portugal
14- SAS
15- Royal Jordanian
16- Swiss
17- Finnair
18- Lufthansa
19- Aer Lingus
20- KLM
On the list, there are 4 top Middle Eastern airlines; two Emirati carriers, Etihad (4th place) and Emirates (7th place), who have both striven to maintain a high quality of service. Qatar, (5th place), also made the top 20 list as did Royal Jordanian (15th place). All 4 proved their reliability and made the elite list as being “standout” and the world’s safest airlines 2020.
