Is it true that Qantas, the Australian airline, has never suffered a fatal accident?
Yes, it’s true. But Qantas is also a relatively small airline (111 aircraft in 2002), at least compared to U.S. and European majors, and historically a strong percentage of its flights have been of the long-haul, intercontinental variety. This equates to fewer takeoffs and landings, the times when most accidents occur. What sets the Aussies apart, however, is that their national airline, Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service (QANTAS) dates back to 1920 and is one of the world’s oldest. Which is all well and good, but construing the exemplary record of Qantas as a means of branding it the world’s safest airline is sticky business. The list of airlines that have gone fatality free over at least the past 30 years is surprisingly extensive, and includes such names as Aer Lingus, Tunisair, and Air Jamaica. Should we include one or two fatal events, the list would comprise dozens more — some from unexpected corners of Africa and South America. Presence of an accident or two — th
