Most Unsafe Airlines In The World

Air travel is one of the safest ways to travel, as fatality rate is quite low. We do see planes falling off the sky, hitting a mountain, crashing into a building and dropping into the ocean. However, such cases are rare, especially when we compare it proportionately to the total number of successful flights. As per recent data, the ratio of fatal accidents is just around 0.51 for every million flights.

Air travel has become progressively safer over the years with the availability of advanced avionics and safety systems. However, not all airline companies are created equal. Just having an advanced plane is not enough, as safety depends on various other factors such as training of pilots and maintenance of the aircraft. Before you book your flight ticket, it is better to know which are the most unsafe airlines in the world.

Pakistan International Airlines – Controlled by the government, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has recorded several fatal crashes in its operational history. PIA has also been prone to hijacking attempts on several occasions. PIA made news in 2020, when it was found that around a third of its pilots did not have a valid flying license. Due to this, PIA was banned in Europe, United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US).

Air Algérie – Owned by the government, Air Algérie is the national airline of the country. It has operations across North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa. Air Algérie has recorded several fatal and non-fatal accidents, which have resulted in low safety rating for the airline. The airline has also undergone hijackings on multiple occasions.

SCAT Airlines – Based out of Kazakhstan, SCAT airlines operates flights to domestic locations as well as neighboring countries. Although SCAT has relatively fewer accidents, it still has low safety ratings. The last fatal accident was in 2013 when SCAT Airlines Flight 760 had gone down due to poor visibility. With continues improvements, SCAT is now a full member of International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Sriwijaya Air – Based in Indonesia, Sriwijaya Air has registered several fatal and non-fatal accidents in its operational history. The latest was in January 2021 when Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 crashed soon after take-off. All 50 passengers and 12 crew members were killed. Indonesia is usually considered an unsafe location to fly. The aviation industry there faces multiple problems such as inadequate pilot training, poor aircraft maintenance, communication issues and air-traffic control problems.

Blue Wing Airlines – Based in Suriname, Blue Wing Airlines operates flights to domestic locations as well as remote parts of Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela and Caribbean region. Due to multiple safety violations and plane crashes, Blue Wing Airlines is banned in European Union.

You will still be pretty safe when travelling on these airlines. But the question is – are you willing to take the risk? Wouldn’t it be wiser to choose another airline if a safer alternative is available? Well, we think the answer is obvious.