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AirlineRatings 2026 Top 25: Etihad tops full‑service; Hong Kong Express leads LCCs

AirlineRatings.com’s annual Top 25 Safest Airlines for 2026 evaluates 320 carriers; Etihad Airways ranks first among full‑service airlines while Hong Kong Express is the top low‑cost carrier for a second consecutive year. Rankings weigh recent accidents, fleet age and size, accident rates, fatalities, IOSA, audits, profitability and pilot training.

Discovered 2026-01-13T05:06:56.778684-08:00 | 2026-01-13T05:06:56.778684-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • AirlineRatings surveyed 320 carriers and uses a multilayered methodology—covering recent serious accidents, accident rates and fatalities, fleet age and expected fleet size, IOSA certification, country audits, profitability and pilot training—which makes the list a data‑driven safety benchmark for carriers.

  • Etihad’s top placement comes as the carrier is expanding rapidly; the ranking coincides with its recent fleet additions and record passenger growth, including adding nine jets and carrying 22.4 million passengers in 2025 (see its recent fleet and traffic updates) (source:89f17405-0eca-4792-9dc1-7b56cb143eb4, source:4daad749-cf56-4388-973e-5b7c1e55b12d).

  • Hong Kong Express leading the LCC list for a second year highlights improving safety metrics among low‑cost carriers and is relevant to network planners and regulators tracking operator reliability and compliance.

Reported By

The Independent the-independent.com travelandtourworld.com aviation.direct aerotelegraph.com news.ssbcrack.com
Sources Tracked
24
First Seen
2026-01-13T05:06:56.778684-08:00
Latest Update
2026-01-19T09:27:18.604425-08:00
Coverage
Aviation

Sources

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