Major blow for Qantas airline loses out on prestigious safety title as its fleet continues to age

Older planes are blamed for Qantas narrowly losing the top spot in aviation safety to a New Zealand rival, as the Australian airline awaits new planes to replace its aging fleet.

Air New Zealand took pole position on the website List of aviation ratings one of the safest airlines in the world for the second year in a row, after overtaking its trans-Tasman rival in 2024.

Virgin Australia came in fourth on the list, but three airlines were in third place.

Qantas last topped the list in 2023 and its second place in the past two years has been down to an aging fleet.

“This is a valid point as they have an older fleet – quite old actually – and they recently had some issues with some of their older aircraft,” University of Sydney professor and aviation expert Rico Merkert told AAP.

“That said, older aircraft, when properly maintained, can also be incredibly safe,” he added.

Sharon Petersen, CEO of Airline Ratings, said there was not much difference between the top airlines.

“While both airlines maintain the highest safety standards and pilot training, Air New Zealand still has a younger fleet than Qantas, which separates the two,” she said.

Virgin’s ranking largely came down to having a smaller fleet and operating fewer flights.

Qantas could regain top spot in the rankings next year as new aircraft enter service as part of the fleet renewal that began in 2023

“Between Qantas, Emirates, Qatar, Cathay and Virgin there is no point in separating it, it is minuscule,” Ms Petersen said.

Griffith University aviation management lecturer Bojana Spasojevic said the age of the fleet was not directly related to safety.

While newer aircraft could increase passenger confidence, comprehensive maintenance and safety protocols remained critical.

“However, passengers often experience newer aircraft as safer and more comfortable, which can improve their overall travel experience,” said Dr. Spasojevic.

“Safety perceptions significantly influence passenger choices…sometimes even beyond cost considerations.”

Qantas-owned Jetstar also took second place in the safest low-cost airline rankings, behind Cathay Pacific-owned Hong Kong Express.

A Qantas Group spokesperson said both airlines consider safety a top priority.

“The entire aviation industry is focused on ensuring that flying remains the safest way to travel, through continuous learning and improvement,” they said.

Airline Ratings uses fleet age and size, pilot skills and training, serious recent incidents, fatal accidents and profitability among other factors to determine the rankings.

Qantas could regain top spot in the rankings next year as new aircraft enter service as part of the fleet renewal that began in 2023.

The airline’s program includes several models of Airbus aircraft and more long-haul Boeing 787 aircraft.

Purchasing aircraft was an expensive and lengthy process, and manufacturers faced backlogs with many airlines vying for newer planes in a bid to reduce emissions with more fuel-efficient models, Prof Merkert said.

Ms Petersen said air travel is one of the safest modes of transport but also has the most nervous passengers, partly because crashes – such as those in Kazakhstan and South Korea that killed more than 200 people in late December – attracted global attention.

“If something goes wrong, everyone knows about it,” she said.