World's Safest Aircraft for 2019

Geoffrey Thomas

By Geoffrey Thomas Thu Jan 3, 2019

zThere are nine major commercial pure jet aircraft that can claim to be the world's safest aircraft because they have never recorded a passenger fatality. The annual Boeing Statistical Summary of Commercial Jet Airplane Accidents Worldwide Operations 1959-2018 lists the following aircraft as having a fatality free record: Boeing 717 (formerly the MD95), CRJ700/900/1000 regional jet, A380 superjumbo, Boeing 787, Boeing 747-8, Airbus A350, Bombardier C Series, A340 and the Airbus A320 NEO series. It should be noted that the CSeries and A320NEO have only recently started deliveries so the in-service numbers are small. READ: World's safest airlines for 2019 Also, the Boeing report does not include any jets built in Russia or former Soviet bloc countries nor turbo-prop or piston-powered aircraft of any make.
Image
The Airbus A350, operated by many airlines including Singapore Airlines is one of the world's safest with a perfect record. Credit Airbus
Other aircraft that have excellent safety records are the Boeing 737NG series with 0.08 fatal crashes per one million departures (PMD), the Boeing 767 (0.10), the Airbus A320 series (0.10), the Boeing 777 (0.18), the Boeing 757 (0.20) and the Airbus A330 (0.19).
These accident rates are a fraction of those recorded by the first jets such as the Boeing 707, which has a fatal crash rate of 4.28 per million departures. Even the early models of the mighty 747 had a crash rate of 1.46. READ: What does it take to make our top twenty safest airlines? The Boeing report also shows up how a range of technologies, such as sophisticated, highly computerized cockpits, have dramatically improved aircraft safety. Take the world’s most successful jet, the Boeing 737, with over 14,300 sold, which was first introduced to service in 1967s. The initial models had a fatal crash rate of 0.89 PMD.
Image
The cockpit of the first Boeing 737 models of 1967. The crash rate was 0.89 PMD.
The upgraded 737-300/400/500 (Classics) which appeared in 1984 had a crash rate of 0.25, while the 737 NG (New Generation) models which entered service in 1998, have a crash rate of just 0.08.
Image
The cockpit of the latest Boeing 737MAX. Boeing
 

Have questions or want to share your thoughts?

Comments

No comments yet, be the first to write one.

Latest news and reviews

View more
Vietjet and CFM sign agreement to explore MRO capability in Vietnam
Airline News

Vietjet and CFM sign agreement to explore MRO capability in Vietnam

Sep 18, 2026

Airline Ratings
HK Express vs Jeju Air: Comparing Hong Kong’s and Korea’s Low-Cost Airlines
Airline News

HK Express vs Jeju Air: Comparing Hong Kong’s and Korea’s Low-Cost Airlines

Sep 18, 2026

Josh Wood
Power banks, turbulence and unruly passengers: the WSOC 2026 sessions that will shape your next flight
Airline News

Power banks, turbulence and unruly passengers: the WSOC 2026 sessions that will shape your next flight

Sep 18, 2026

Airline Ratings
Is HK Express the Best Low-Cost Airline for Food and Shopping?
Airline News

Is HK Express the Best Low-Cost Airline for Food and Shopping?

Sep 17, 2026

Airline Ratings

Featured articles

View more
China Southern economy review: Perth to Guangzhou direct and why the city is worth the stop
Airline News

China Southern economy review: Perth to Guangzhou direct and why the city is worth the stop

Sep 15, 2026

Sharon Petersen and Sandy West
Cathay Pacific vs British Airways: which airline wins Hong Kong to London?
Airline News

Cathay Pacific vs British Airways: which airline wins Hong Kong to London?

Sep 8, 2026

Sharon Petersen
Qatar Airways' Qsuite is the world's preferred business class
Airline News

Qatar Airways' Qsuite is the world's preferred business class

Aug 18, 2026

Airline Ratings
From First Circuit to Full Flight Deck: How MOZA Built a Flight Sim Ecosystem That Grows With You
Airline News

From First Circuit to Full Flight Deck: How MOZA Built a Flight Sim Ecosystem That Grows With You

Aug 18, 2026

Airline Ratings