In a period where international airline safety has been under serious scrutiny due to a number of major aviation accidents, United Arab Emirates (UAE) national carrier Etihad Airways has been recognised as one of the top 10 safest airlines in the world.
Aviation website AirlineRatings.com selected Etihad Airways as a safe carrier for 2015, out of a list of 449 global airlines monitored, while only 149 of the 449 have the top seven-star safety ranking.
President and Chief Executive Officer for Etihad Airways James Hogan could not hide his joy, lauding his staff for ‘commitment to safety and security of the travellers. “We’re delighted to be listed in the top ten and that’s where we want to stay. All of our staff are accountable for the delivery of the highest level of safety performance,” he said.
According to AirlineRatings.com editor Geoffrey Thomas, Etihad Airways commitment to safety has made the Abu Dhabi carrier the “benchmark for other airlines.” “Etihad Airways is one of small group of elite airlines that are both seven star for safety and for product. From a safety perspective Etihad Airways has made excellence in safety a number one priority and has become a benchmark for best practice,” noted Thomas.
The airline ratings system takes into account a variety of factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies and lead associations, as well as government audits and the airlines’ own records.
All staff in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and overseas are required to comply with the regulations issued by the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), IATA’s Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and the regulations issued by the local Authorities in the country of the operation.
