<strong>World's safest airline: </strong>AirlineRatings.com has highlighted the 20 airlines it considers the safest in the world. It says Aussie carrier Qantas is once again the world's safest. Click through the gallery to see which other airlines made the ranking.
World's safest airline: AirlineRatings.com has highlighted the 20 airlines it considers the safest in the world. It says Aussie carrier Qantas is once again the world's safest. Click through the gallery to see which other airlines made the ranking.
Courtesy AirlineRatings.com
<strong>2. Air New Zealand: </strong>The New Zealand flag carrier is consistently ranked among the world's best. In the past year it made headlines with a controversial attempt to<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fair-new-zealand-trademark-intl-scli%2Findex.html" target="_blank"> trademark a traditional Maori greeting. </a>
2. Air New Zealand: The New Zealand flag carrier is consistently ranked among the world's best. In the past year it made headlines with a controversial attempt to trademark a traditional Maori greeting.
Courtesy AirlineRatings.com
<strong>3. EVA Air: </strong>Taiwan's EVA Air was named the sixth best airline in Skytrax's 2019 awards. The Taiwanese carrier faces fresh local competition in 2020 from upstart airline <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fedition.cnn.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fstarlux-airlines-taiwan%2Findex.html" target="_blank">STARLUX</a>.
3. EVA Air: Taiwan's EVA Air was named the sixth best airline in Skytrax's 2019 awards. The Taiwanese carrier faces fresh local competition in 2020 from upstart airline STARLUX.
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<strong>4. Etihad Airways: </strong>Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is a a new entry on the list, at fourth place.
4. Etihad Airways: Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is a a new entry on the list, at fourth place.
JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images
<strong>5. Qatar Airways: </strong>Qatar Airways makes fifth place in the AirlineRatings.com list. The Gulf carrier was also named<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fskytrax-awards-2019%2Findex.html" target="_blank"> Stytrax's best airline</a> for 2019.
5. Qatar Airways: Qatar Airways makes fifth place in the AirlineRatings.com list. The Gulf carrier was also named Stytrax's best airline for 2019.
Courtesy AirlineRatings.com
<strong>6. Singapore Airlines: </strong>Another airline to feature prominently on the Skytrax annual list, Singapore Airlines takes sixth place on the safety list.
6. Singapore Airlines: Another airline to feature prominently on the Skytrax annual list, Singapore Airlines takes sixth place on the safety list.
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<strong>7. Emirates:</strong> Emirates is one of AirlineRatings.com's safest airlines. In 2019 the carrier announced it was launching one of <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fworld-shortest-a380-flight-emirates%2Findex.html" target="_blank">world's shortest routes using the A380 superjumbo</a>.
7. Emirates: Emirates is one of AirlineRatings.com's safest airlines. In 2019 the carrier announced it was launching one of world's shortest routes using the A380 superjumbo.
Boeing
<strong>8. Alaska Airlines: </strong>Alaska Airlines is one of the few US carriers to consistently rank alongside international airlines at awards time.
8. Alaska Airlines: Alaska Airlines is one of the few US carriers to consistently rank alongside international airlines at awards time.
Courtesy Alaska Airlines
<strong>9. Cathay Pacific Airways: </strong>A top 10 safety ranking will be good news for Cathay, which has endured a tough year due to the downturn in traffic caused by long-running protests in Hong Kong.
9. Cathay Pacific Airways: A top 10 safety ranking will be good news for Cathay, which has endured a tough year due to the downturn in traffic caused by long-running protests in Hong Kong.
Boeing
<strong>10. Virgin Australia: </strong>Virgin Australia has been transporting passengers around the world since 2000, and has succeeded as an airline where sister brand Virgin America did not.
10. Virgin Australia: Virgin Australia has been transporting passengers around the world since 2000, and has succeeded as an airline where sister brand Virgin America did not.
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<strong>11. Hawaiian Airlines:</strong> Hawaiian Airlines is another of the world's safest airlines, according to AirlineRatings.com. In 2018, the Hawaiian flagship carrier was also <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcnn.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fmost-punctual-airline-and-airports-2018%2Findex.html" target="_blank">ranked number 3 in Travel analyst OAG's Punctuality League.</a>
11. Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian Airlines is another of the world's safest airlines, according to AirlineRatings.com. In 2018, the Hawaiian flagship carrier was also ranked number 3 in Travel analyst OAG's Punctuality League.
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<strong>12. Virgin Atlantic:</strong> 2019 was a year of positive change for Virgin Atlantic, <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fedition.cnn.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fvirgin-atlantic-cabin-crew-make-up-scli-intl%2Findex.html" target="_blank">ditching the requirement of its female cabin crew to wear make up</a> and replacing its retro Flying Lady logo with a<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fedition.cnn.com%2Ftravel%2Farticle%2Fvirgin-atlantic-ditches-flying-lady%2Findex.html" target="_blank"> more diverse look</a>.
12. Virgin Atlantic: 2019 was a year of positive change for Virgin Atlantic, ditching the requirement of its female cabin crew to wear make up and replacing its retro Flying Lady logo with a more diverse look.
Boeing
<strong>13. TAP Portugal: </strong>The Portuguese flag carrier was ranked 13th safest airline in the world. Passengers love it for its free stopover offers in Lisbon and Porto.
13. TAP Portugal: The Portuguese flag carrier was ranked 13th safest airline in the world. Passengers love it for its free stopover offers in Lisbon and Porto.
PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images
<strong>15. Scandinavian Airline System (SAS): </strong>AirlineRatings.com uses a seven-star rating system to assess the safety and in-flight product of each airline. Scandinavian airline SAS also made the top 20.
15. Scandinavian Airline System (SAS): AirlineRatings.com uses a seven-star rating system to assess the safety and in-flight product of each airline. Scandinavian airline SAS also made the top 20.
Courtesy AirlineRatings.com
<strong>15. Royal Jordanian Airlines:</strong> Based in Amman, Royal Jordanian is a relatively small part of the Oneworld alliance with just 25 planes serving 43 destinations.
15. Royal Jordanian Airlines: Based in Amman, Royal Jordanian is a relatively small part of the Oneworld alliance with just 25 planes serving 43 destinations.
ALEXANDER KLEIN/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Swiss:</strong> Swiss is an airline that's had no major disasters since it rebranded from Crossair in 2002. The carrier made headlines in 2018 by <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.swiss.com%2Fcorporate%2Fen%2Fmedia%2Fnewsroom%2Fpress-releases%2Fmedia-release-20181128" target="_blank" target="_blank">announcing plans to offer cheese fondue to its passengers.</a>
Swiss: Swiss is an airline that's had no major disasters since it rebranded from Crossair in 2002. The carrier made headlines in 2018 by announcing plans to offer cheese fondue to its passengers.
Airbus
<strong>Finnair: </strong>Finnair, also on the list, is among those to have never recorded a fatality since the advent of modern passenger jets.
Finnair: Finnair, also on the list, is among those to have never recorded a fatality since the advent of modern passenger jets.
Airbus
<strong>Lufthansa:</strong> German airline Lufthansa is also featured on AirlineRatings.com's ranking. The airline started 2019 <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.airlineratings.com%2Fnews%2Flufthansa-seeks-5500-2019-hiring-spree%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">by announcing plans to hire roughly 5,500 people.</a>
Lufthansa: German airline Lufthansa is also featured on AirlineRatings.com's ranking. The airline started 2019 by announcing plans to hire roughly 5,500 people.
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<strong>19. Aer Lingus: </strong>The Irish airline is a top pick for UK travelers to the US, since it allows passengers to clear US immigration in Ireland, without the long queues at the US border.
19. Aer Lingus: The Irish airline is a top pick for UK travelers to the US, since it allows passengers to clear US immigration in Ireland, without the long queues at the US border.
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<strong>KLM:</strong> Dutch carrier KLM is the world's oldest operating airline -- it's also one of AirlineRatings.com's safest carriers for 2019. It made headlines this year for encouraging eco-conscious passengers to think about whether short flights are really necessary.
KLM: Dutch carrier KLM is the world's oldest operating airline -- it's also one of AirlineRatings.com's safest carriers for 2019. It made headlines this year for encouraging eco-conscious passengers to think about whether short flights are really necessary.
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