Ageing fleet costs Qantas in airline safety ratings
Qantas has been pipped for a top aviation safety rating by trans-Tasman rival Air New Zealand – with the flying kangaroo’s ageing fleet blamed for the difference.
Air New Zealand took pole position on website Airline Ratings’ list of the world’s safest airlines for the second year running after overtaking Qantas in 2024.
Virgin Australia came in at fourth – behind three airlines tied in third place.
Qantas last topped the list in 2023. Its second-place ranking in the past two surveys has been attributed to an ageing fleet.
“This is a fair point as they do have an older fleet – quite old actually – and they did have some issues recently with some of their older aircraft,” Sydney University professor and aviation expert Rico Merkert said.
“That said, if maintained well, older aircraft can also be incredibly safe.”
Monday’s release of the annual ratings follows a Qantas flight bound for Perth from Geraldton being forced into an emergency landing last Friday.
City of Greater Geraldton CEO Ross McKim has told media that QF 1613 turned around due to an engine failure and landed safely at 10.30am, just 45 minutes after its original takeoff.
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The flight was a QantasLink Fokker 100 that is more than 30 years old, according to multiple reports.
Passenger Loic Foison said the plane was “very near the ground” for about 20 minutes after dropping altitude.
“After 30 minutes, the captain just asked everyone to sit and [put their] seatbelt on, and crew members sat as well,” Foison said.
“After 10 minutes, he takes the mic again and he says ‘there is a vibration on the left side of the plane, so we have to go back to Geraldton for an emergency landing’.”
Foison said it was scary, but “everyone was really calm. No panic, but I was anxious”.
A Qantas Boeing 737-800 aircraft is seen taxiing at Sydney Airport, in Sydney, Wednesday, August 22, 2018. Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Last November, a 20-year-old Qantas Boeing 737-800 made an emergency landing amid a grassfire at Sydney Airport, after a suspected engine failure moments after takeoff for Brisbane.
Airline Ratings chief executive Sharon Petersen said there was little difference between the top-ranking airlines.
“Whilst both airlines uphold the highest safety standards and pilot training, Air New Zealand continue to have a younger fleet than Qantas, which separates the two,” she said.
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Virgin’s ranking was largely due to having a smaller fleet and operating fewer flights.
“Between Qantas, Emirates, Qatar, Cathay and Virgin, there’s less than a point separating it, it’s minuscule,” Petersen said.
Griffith University aviation management lecturer Bojana Spasojevic said fleet age did not directly correlate with safety. While newer planes could boost passenger confidence, comprehensive maintenance and safety protocols remained crucial.
“However, passengers often perceive newer aircraft as safer and more comfortable, which can enhance their overall travel experience,” Spasojevic said.
“Safety perceptions significantly influence passenger choices … sometimes even over cost considerations.”
Qantas-owned Jetstar also took out second place in the ranking for safest low-cost airlines, behind Cathay Pacific-owned Hong Kong Express.
A Qantas group spokesperson said both airlines were committed to safety as a top priority.
“The whole aviation industry is focused on ensuring flying remains the safest way to travel through continual learning and improvement,” they said.
Airline Ratings uses fleet age and size, pilot skill and training, serious recent incidents, fatalities and profitability alongside other factors to determine its rankings.
Qantas might regain top spot on the coming year’s ranking as new planes enter service as part of fleet renewal that began in 2023.
The airline’s program includes several Airbus models and more long-haul Boeing 787 planes.
Procuring planes was an expensive and prolonged process, and manufacturers faced backlogs with many airlines competing for newer aircraft to try to lower emissions with more fuel-efficient models, Merkert said.
Petersen said air travel was one of the safest modes of transport but it also had the most nervous passengers, partly because crashes – like those in Kazakhstan and South Korea that killed more than 200 people in late December – attracted global attention.
“When things go wrong, everyone knows about it,” she said.
– with AAP
