Middle Eastern, Asia-Pacific Carriers Dominate Top 25 Airlines List For 2024

In the wake of recent aviation tragedies, such as the scary Japan Airlines crash in Tokyo and the tragic death of Access Holdings’ Chief Executive Officer, Herbert Wigwe alongside five others, airline safety has become a pressing concern for travellers worldwide. Against this backdrop, AirlineRatings.com, an airline safety and product ratings site, has unveiled its latest rankings of the 25 safest airlines globally.

AirlineRatings.com reportedly evaluated the safety and in-flight products of 385 airlines through a seven-star rating system. The rankings are based on multiple factors such as safety audits, product ratings, passenger reviews, fleet age, and incident reports. The top five airlines are Qatar Airways, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, and Emirates.

Qatar Airways ranked first, reclaiming the top spot it lost to Air New Zealand last year. In addition to being named the top airline of 2024, Qatar Airways also won the “Best Business Class” category for the fifth consecutive year. Other notable awards include Singapore Airlines winning “Best First Class” and Air New Zealand taking “Best Economy Class.” Emirates was recognised for “Best Premium Economy” and “Best In-Flight Entertainment,” while Etihad Airways was named the “Best Environmental Airline” for the third year running.

The complete list of the top 25 airlines for 2024 includes:

• Qatar Airways
• Korean Air
• Cathay Pacific
• Air New Zealand
• Emirates
• Air France/KLM
• All Nippon Airways
• Etihad Airways
• Qantas
• Virgin Australia/Atlantic
• Vietnam Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• EVA Air
• TAP Portugal
• JAL
• Finnair
• Hawaiian
• Alaska Airlines
• Lufthansa/Swiss
• Turkish Airlines
• IGA Group (British Airways, Iberia)
• Air Canada
• Delta Air Lines
• United Airlines
• American Airlines

The website also evaluated low-cost carriers, with Southwest Airlines named the best in the Americas, FlyDubai in the Middle East, AirAsia Group in Asia, Jetstar Group in Australia/Pacific, and EasyJet in Europe. Vietnam’s Vietjet was recognised as the best ultra-low-cost airline and for onboard hospitality.

In sharp contrast to the top ratings which largely featured Middle Eastern and Asia-Pacific carriers, fraud and incessant taxation from government authorities seem to be holding the Nigerian aviation industry stagnant.

Read West Africa Weekly‘s two-part investigative series titled “What On Earth Is Happening In Nigeria’s Aviation Sector?” to learn more.

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