This is the world’s safest airline for 2021
As we ease into our third lockdown, travel is once again officially off the cards - but it doesn’t hurt to dream.
With two COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out in the UK, the idea of a summer holiday may not be too far off.
For when that magical day does come, it’s worth considering what airline to fly with next.
Read more: Experts reveal the best time to book your 2021 holiday (and where to go)
Qantas, Australia’s national airline, has been named the safest airline in the world for 2021.
The accolade comes from AirlineRatings.com who rank airlines on safety annually - Qantas was named the safest out of the 385 airlines the site considered.
Qatar Airways, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and Emirate rounded out the top five, while EVA Air, Etihad Airways, Alaska Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways and British Airways made the top 10.
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Of the top 20 airlines, AirlineRatings.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas said in a statement: “In fact, there is very little between the top 20, they are all standouts.”
Factors taken into consideration include the airline’s crash and serious incident record, safety initiatives (including new coronavirus protocols), fleet age and government and industry audits.
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Qantas’ response to the pandemic - which included social distancing while boarding and altering its dining service - earned top marks with seven out of seven safety stars.
It was also praised for its development of safety initiatives like the Future Air Navigation System, which allows communication between pilots and air traffic control, and its real-time engine monitoring too.
Thomas added: "All airlines have incidents every day and many are aircraft manufacture issues, not airline operational problems.
"It is the way the flight crew handles incidents that determines a good airline from an unsafe one."
Top 20 safest airlines for 2021
Qantas
Qatar Airways
Air New Zealand
Singapore Airlines
Emirates
EVA Air
Etihad Airways
Alaska Airlines
Cathay Pacific Airways
British Airways
Virgin Australia/Virgin Atlantic
Hawaiian Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Delta Air Lines
American Airlines
SAS
Finnair
Lufthansa
KLM
United Airlines
AirlineRatings.com also revealed the top 10 safest low cost airlines for 2021, releasing these without ranking.
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EasyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air made the top 10, alongside Air Arabia, Allegiant, Frontier, Jetstar Group, Jetblue, Vietjet and Westjet.
Top 10 safest low-cost airlines for 2021 (in alphabetical order)
Air Arabia
Allegiant
Easyjet
Frontier
Jetstar Group
Jetblue
Ryanair
Vietjet
Westjet
Wizz Air
