Cathay Pacific Awarded 7-Star PLUS Safety Rating

Cathay Pacific has today become the first full-service airline to earn AirlineRatings Seven Star PLUS rating. Available only to airlines already rated seven stars for safety, it is a mark of verified onboard cabin safety compliance achieved through independent audit

On top of being already a Seven Star airline for maintaining the highest operational and regulatory safety standards at all times, the new initiative introduces a comprehensive 40 point onboard safety audit that brings the “face of safety” directly into the cabin where passengers experience it most.

CEO of AirlineRatings, Sharon Petersen, said, “For many years, our Seven Star Safety Ratings have guided millions of travellers in assessing which airline they choose to fly with for both value and safety. Now, we are taking this a step further by evaluating onboard safety.

 “These comprehensive audits assess performance across 40 measurable criteria over six flights, providing airlines with an in-depth, independent evaluation of their onboard safety standards. It enables airlines to swiftly address any identified gaps and demonstrate transparency by opening their operations to external review. These assessments not only highlight areas for improvement but also celebrate and acknowledge those who excel in the critical area of onboard safety.

 “Increasingly, we are seeing inflight incidents arising in areas such as turbulence and lithium battery-related events, underscoring that now, more than ever, onboard safety must remain at the forefront for both airlines and passengers alike.

 “We are delighted to confirm Cathay Pacific as our first Seven Star PLUS Safety Rated full-service airline, and we look forward to announcing additional Seven Starr PLUS rated airlines in the near future.”

Josh Wood Safety and Service Quality Manager, AirlineRatings commented, “It has been a great pleasure to audit Cathay Pacific and now be able to award them as a Seven Star PLUS safety rated airline . Cathay not only make safety a top priority in the flight deck, but they also go above and beyond to complement their operational integrity with world class and consistent safety protocols. From adhering to a strict lithium battery policy to conducting thorough cabin checks, delivering professional safety briefings, providing high-quality inflight announcements and maintaining overall customer service excellence, Cathay Pacific excelled on every flight. I congratulate all at Cathay for their continued efforts in upholding the highest integrity of safety and service standards and in the air and on the ground.”

Alex McGowan, Chief Operations and Service Delivery Officer at Cathay Pacific, said of the accolade, “Safety guides everything we do at Cathay. It is a deep commitment we make to each other, our customers and our business partners to ensure their time with us is safe, healthy and secure - as well as thoroughly enjoyable. We are grateful for this recognition, which reflects the consistent dedication of our teams around the world.  Of course we will never stop looking for ways to improve and will continue to strengthen efforts across our operation.”

So what does Seven Star PLUS actually mean?

Seven Star PLUS is a safety rating an airline earns, not one it can buy. To be eligible, an airline must already hold our seven star safety rating, the top of our scale. Only then can it put itself forward for the audit that leads to a Seven Star PLUS rating.

The airline invites our auditors aboard for an independent, anonymous assessment of its cabin crew safety compliance, observed under normal flight conditions across six flights. An airline earns Seven Star PLUS only if that audit goes well and stringent standards are met overall. Not every airline that sits it will clear it and a review audit will be conducted within the year. Whilst the airline pays for the service, it does not pay for the result. That distinction matters, because it means the rating reflects what our auditors actually found. An airline with a number of areas for improvement will simply retain their Seven Star safety rating.

The value in these audits sits with both the airline and the passenger. For the airline, the audit catches things early. It finds genuine cabin crew compliance gaps and helps close them before they ever become incidents or regulator findings. A safety team and a CFO both understand the value of catching a problem early. Earning the rating gives the airline a credential that carries weight precisely because it cannot be bought.

For travellers, Seven Star PLUS is a simple signal worth knowing. It marks an airline that already sits at the top of our safety rating, then opened its cabin operation to independent scrutiny and passed.

One thing to be clear about is that an airline without Seven Star PLUS is not unsafe, and it is not ranked below those that hold it. The PLUS indicates a mark of verified cabin safety compliance, earned by the airlines that have chosen to be tested and met the standard.

Why It Matters

With nearly 40% of passengers reporting anxiety or fear of flying, Seven Star PLUS provides a new level of reassurance. While traditional safety metrics focus on aircraft maintenance, operational excellence and regulatory compliance, this new rating highlights the human element specifically how safety is communicated, enacted, and felt onboard.

This initiative complements AirlineRatings mission: “Guiding you to the safest and best value airline for every journey.”

 For enquiries on participating in Airline Ratings safety ratings, please contact [email protected]