- AirlineRatings simply unveiled its listing of the world’s most secure
airways for 2021, in line with the location’s specialists, narrowing the highest 20 from an inventory of 385. - The US had an excellent exhibiting with six of the 11 main American carriers making the highest 20 minimize whereas Asia carried out poorly.
- Carriers in Oceania and the Center East additionally dominated the best spots, persevering with the development from final 12 months.
A brand new rating of the world’s most secure airways unveiled on Monday reveals which airways must be wanted because the world returns to the skies post-pandemic, and which must be averted.
The positioning narrowed down 385 of the world’s airways based mostly on quite a lot of elements starting from crashes and incidents to the age of an airline’s fleet. Airways with youthful fleets, for instance, scored greater than these nonetheless using older fashions.
“Our high 20 most secure airways 2021 are all the time on the forefront of security innovation, operational excellence, and the launching of recent extra superior plane just like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787,”
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The US is probably the most represented nation on the listing with six out of the 11 main American carriers, together with all the huge 4, making their manner into the highest 20. Solely two US carriers – Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways – made the minimize final 12 months.
Asia made little progress with the identical airways that earned a spot on the 2020 listing making this 12 months’s listing with no new additions. Some airways from the area managed to climb on the listing; although, most misplaced their standing year-on-year.
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Listed below are the world’s most secure airways for 2021, in line with AirlineRatings.
20. United Airways
United Airways earned the quantity 20 spot on this 12 months’s listing after not being featured on final 12 months’s. Current years have seen United modernize its all-Boeing long-haul fleet by retiring the enduring 747 and adopting new varieties together with the 777-300ER and all three 787 Dreamliner variants.
The airline additionally has plans to resume flying the 737 Max on February 11, 2021, from Houston and Denver.
19. KLM Royal Dutch Airways
KLM Royal Dutch Airways moved up one spot from its 2020 place to earn the quantity 19 spot on this 12 months’s listing. One of many world’s oldest airways, the flag provider of the Netherlands will have a good time 102 years of operations in October having been based in 1919.
Boeing plane largely dominate KLM’s fleet with varieties just like the 787 Dreamliner and 737 Subsequent Era flying passengers to and from Amsterdam. The pandemic accelerated the retirement of KLM’s older aircraft including the Boeing 747-400, leaving the airline with a long-haul fleet consisting of the Airbus A330, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner households.
18. Lufthansa
Lufthansa stayed put on this 12 months’s rating in comparison with final 12 months’s, incomes the quantity 18 spot as soon as extra. Current years have seen the German flag provider undertake a contemporary fleet consisting of the Airbus A320neo, Airbus A350-900XWB, and Boeing 747-8i.
Older fashions just like the Airbus A340-600 and Airbus A380 have been as a result of pandemic, with FlightGlobal suggesting they’ve already flown their final passenger flights. Lufthansa can be one of many first clients for the brand new Boeing 777X, currently flying test flights around the Pacific Northwest.
17. Finnair
Finnair additionally stayed stagnant on this 12 months’s listing in comparison with 2020, as soon as once more incomes the quantity 17 spot. The airline connects Finland with the world, as Business Insider found on a 2019 trip from New York to Copenhagen, utilizing a fleet of primarily Airbus plane, together with the brand new A350-900XWB.
AirlineRatings famous that Finnair has achieved a “excellent report” for flying throughout the jet age.
16. SAS Scandinavian Airways
SAS Scandinavian Airways fell again two spots to earn the quantity 16 rating for 2021’s listing, in comparison with the quantity 14 spot final 12 months. An ongoing fleet renewal is seeing SAS undertake two new Airbus fashions, the A350-900XWB and A320neo, and pledge to chop again on emissions by powering all domestic Scandinavian flights with biofuel.
15. American Airways
American Airways is one other contemporary face on the 2020 listing, incomes having not earned a spot final 12 months however coming in at quantity 15 this 12 months.
The pandemic noticed American retire some of its oldest aircraft including the Boeing 757-200, Airbus A330-300, Boeing 767-300ER, Bombardier CRJ-200, and Embraer E190. A number of the plane had been acquired within the 2013 merger with US Airways that solidified American because the world’s largest airline.
American now boasts a long-haul fleet primarily comprised of Boeing jets together with the 777 and 787 Dreamliner households, and simply resumed flying the Boeing 737 Max.
14. Delta Air Strains
Delta is one other new face on this listing, incomes the quantity 14 spot this 12 months whereas failing to make the highest 20 final 12 months. The pandemic additionally noticed Delta embark on accelerated fleet renewal, retiring older varieties together with Boeing 777, McDonnell Douglas MD-88, McDonnell Douglas MD-90, and Boeing 737-700 whereas onboarding the Airbus A220-300.
Airbus plane now dominate Delta’s fleet with new the airline buying new ultra-modern fashions just like the A220-100, A220-300, A350-900XWB, and A330-300neo.
13. Southwest Airways
Southwest Airways, one other new face on the 2021 listing, earned the quantity 13 spot, the best of the US huge 4 airways. However the airline’s addition comes simply weeks after a US Senate report blasted Southwest for safety issues and criticized the Federal Aviation Administration’s oversight of the low-cost provider.
The report cited key points referring to Southwest’s acquisition of international plane with questionable airworthiness requirements, shut relationships between FAA managers and the airline, pilots performing unsafe maneuvers, and improper reporting of plane upkeep points, amongst others.
AirlineRatings did not reply to Enterprise Insider’s request for touch upon the methodology used for Southwest’s inclusion on the listing.
12. Hawaiian Airways
Hawaiian Airways earns the quantity 12 spot this 12 months, falling brief by one place from final 12 months. Current years have seen Hawaiian develop to its furthest locations, together with Boston, and tackle next-generation plane together with the Airbus A321neo.
The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner can even quickly be a part of the airline’s fleet, although the primary supply has been delayed till not less than 2022, FlightGlobal reported. AirlineRatings famous that Hawaiian has achieved a “excellent report” for flying throughout the jet age.
11. Virgin Australia and Virgin Atlantic Airways
AirlineRatings merged Virgin Australia and Virgin Atlantic Airways on this 12 months’s rating, with the Commonwealth of Nations duo incomes the quantity 11 spot. Final 12 months noticed Virgin Australia within the quantity 10 spot and Virgin Atlantic within the quantity 12 spot.
Within the UK, Virgin Atlantic is presently embarking on a fleet renewal that has seen the addition of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and Airbus A350-1000XWB, with orders for 14 Airbus A330-900neo aircraft. Virgin Australia, alternatively, operates the Boeing 737 Max and simply accomplished a change of possession with Bain Capital now backing the airline.
10. British Airways
British Airways earned the quantity 10 spot on this 12 months’s listing after not making the listing final 12 months. Current years have seen the airline undertake next-generation plane together with the Airbus A320neo, Airbus A321neo, Airbus A350-1000XWB, and all three variants of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The pandemic accelerated the retirement of British Airways’ Boeing 747-400 fleet after a half-century of service and grounded the Airbus A380 indefinitely. The airline additionally retired its enterprise class-only Airbus A318, which Business Insider toured in March, that flew between New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport and London’s Metropolis Airport.
9. Cathay Pacific Airways
Cathay Pacific Airways earned the quantity 9 spot this 12 months, staying put from final 12 months’s rating. Protests in Hong Kong and the pandemic have hindered Cathay Pacific’s operation however latest years have seen the airline modernize its fleet by taking over new plane varieties just like the Airbus A350 XWB household and A321neo.
8. Alaska Airways
Alaska Airways as soon as once more earned the quantity eight spot, persevering with the development from final 12 months because the highest-ranked US airline.
Boeing plane presently dominate Alaska’s fleet however the airline does have one distinctive sub-fleet consisting of the Airbus A321neo, a next-generation model of the Airbus A321. The sort was acquired in a merger with Virgin America and has plans to remain within the airline’s fleet whereas older Airbus jets are bought or retired.
Alaska can even soon fly the Boeing 737 Max as its first delivery is scheduled for this month. Flights are scheduled to start in March 2021 on the West Coast with the airline promising to fly over 50 hours of proving flights throughout 19,000 miles earlier than a passenger climbs onboard.
7. Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways earned the quantity seven spot on this 12 months’s rating, falling again three place locations from the 2020 listing. Boeing plane dominate the airline’s long-haul fleet with newer varieties just like the 787 Dreamliner and 777-300ER outnumbering its Airbus jets.
The UAE flag provider can be one of many final remaining A380 operators; although, the fleet has been quickly parked throughout the pandemic, in line with Cirium.
6. EVA Air
EVA Air earned the quantity six spot this 12 months, falling again three place locations from final 12 months. The Taiwanese flag provider has retired its oldest and largest plane just like the Boeing 747 in recent times whereas including the Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, and Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.
5. Emirates
Emirates moved as much as the quantity 5 spot on this 12 months’s listing after rating seventh on final 12 months’s.
The mega provider’s all-wide-body fleet presently consists of the Boeing 777 and the Airbus A380, however the subsequent few years will see notable additions as Airbus and Boeing’s latest fashions are scheduled to reach on the airline together with the Airbus A350-90 XWB, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, and Boeing 777x.
4. Singapore Airways
Singapore Airways earned the quantity three spot this 12 months, shifting up from quantity six in 2020.
The Singaporean flag provider regularly tops the listing of the world’s longest flights and just lately inaugurated a brand new non-stop route between New York City and Singapore using an Airbus A350-900XWB. With a variety of 8,287 nautical miles, it narrowly beat out the Singapore-Newark route by simply two nautical miles, regardless of having a shorter flight time within the Singapore-bound path.
Regional routes additionally see the Boeing 787 Dreamliner as Singapore Airways was the launch buyer for the Sprint 10 variant, additionally in use with United Airways and EVA Air.
3. Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand earned the quantity three spot on this 12 months’s listing, falling behind by only one place place from final 12 months’s rating. Boeing plane dominate the airline’s long-haul fleet with newer varieties just like the 787-9 Dreamliner and 777-300ER.
Newer Airbus jets just like the A320neo and A321neo are additionally featured within the airline’s short-haul fleet.
2. Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways earned the quantity two spot this 12 months, beating out its UAE opponents Emirates and Etihad. In maintaining with rivals within the Center East “huge three”, Qatar has constantly acquired the most recent and best plane from Airbus and Boeing, boasting the likes of the Airbus A350 XWB and Boeing 787 Dreamliner household whereas additionally changing into a launch buyer for the upcoming Boeing 777X.
1. Qantas
Qantas as soon as once more flies away with the highest spot, incomes the title of 2021’s most secure airline. AirlineRatings famous Qantas’ stellar security report of flying throughout the fashionable jet age with no deadly crashes.
The Australian flag provider has been related to security for many years, with Dustin Hoffman’s character in “Rain Man” refusing to fly on another airline.
“Qantas has been the lead airline in nearly each main operational security development over the previous 60 years and has not had a fatality within the pure jet period,” stated Thomas.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A380 dominated Qantas’ pre-pandemic fleet with the airline finding out the usage of the Airbus A350 for ultra-long-range flights from Sydney to New York and London, as Business Insider’s David Slotnick found on a test flight from New York to Sydney. The pandemic, nevertheless, has restricted Qantas primarily to home flying.
