Qantas narrowly missed out on being ranked as the top airline for safety due to its older planes, as Air New Zealand claimed the top spot on the list of the world’s safest airlines by Airline Ratings for the second consecutive year. Virgin Australia secured the fourth position, while three airlines shared the third spot with similar rankings.
This shift in rankings can be attributed to Qantas’ aging fleet, according to Sydney University professor Rico Merkert, who noted that maintaining older aircraft well can still ensure safety. Although Qantas held the top spot in 2023, its second place in the last two years reflects concerns surrounding its older planes and recent issues with some of them.
Airline Ratings CEO Sharon Petersen highlighted that the difference between the top airlines was minimal in terms of safety standards and pilot training. However, the age of the fleet was a distinguishing factor, with Air New Zealand maintaining a younger fleet compared to Qantas. Virgin Australia’s ranking was influenced by its smaller fleet size and fewer flight operations.
‘Between Emirates, Qatar, Cathay and Virgin, there’s less than a point separating it, it’s minuscule,’ Ms Petersen said. Griffith University aviation management lecturer Bojana Spasojevic said fleet age did not directly correlate with safety. While newer planes could boost passenger confidence, comprehensive maintenance and safety protocols remained crucial.
‘However, passengers often perceive newer aircraft as safer and more comfortable, which can enhance their overall travel experience,’ Dr Spasojevic said. ‘Safety perceptions significantly influence passenger choices … sometimes even over cost considerations.’ Qantas-owned Jetstar also took out second place in the ranking for safest low-cost airlines, behind Cathay Pacific-owned Hong Kong Express.
A Qantas group spokesperson said both airlines were committed to safety as a top priority. ‘The whole aviation industry is focused on ensuring flying remains the safest way to travel through continual learning and improvement,’ they said.
Airline Ratings uses fleet age and size, pilot skill and training, serious recent incidents, fatalities and profitability alongside other factors to determine its rankings. Qantas might regain top spot on the coming year’s ranking as new planes enter service as part of fleet renewal that began in 2023.
The airline’s program includes several models of Airbus aircraft as well as more long-haul Boeing 787 planes. Procuring planes was an expensive and prolonged process, and manufacturers faced backlogs with many airlines competing for newer aircraft in a bid to lower emissions with more fuel-efficient models, Prof Merkert said.
Ms Petersen said air travel was one of the safest modes of transport but it also had the most nervous passengers, partly because crashes – like those in Kazakhstan and South Korea that killed more than 200 people in late December – attracted global attention. ‘When things go wrong, everyone knows about it,’ she said.
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