Yes, Qantas has had planes go down, but all fatal accidents occurred in its early days with propeller aircraft before 1951; the airline has an exceptionally strong safety record in the modern jet age with no fatal hull losses in jet airliners since 1959, though it's experienced serious incidents like engine failures and runway excursions (e.g., Flight 32, Flight 72) that were safely managed.
While Qantas has never had a fatal jet airliner accident, the Australian national airline suffered losses in its early days before the widespread adoption of jets in civilian aviation.
Qantas. The third oldest airline in the world, Qantas was cited in 1988 film Rain Man as an airline to have never had an aircraft crash. “Qantas. Qantas never crashed,” says Raymond, played by Dustin Hoffman.
Qantas has topped the world's safest airlines ranking for 2025 according to 42kft.com, a safety, environment, and product-focused airline ranking platform. Out of 142 carriers analysed – covering 85 per cent of global air traffic – Qantas Airways was crowned the world's safest airline.
On 10 June 1960, a Fokker Friendship passenger aircraft operated by Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) was on approach at night to land at Mackay, Queensland, Australia when it crashed into the sea. All 29 people on board were killed.
The deliberate crashes of the aforementioned American Airlines Flight 11, as well as United Airlines Flight 175 at the World Trade Center, and the subsequent collapse of both towers on 11 September 2001 caused 2,606 ground fatalities in addition to the deaths of the 157 people on board both flights, making it the ...
While there are some fluctuations, the data shows that flying is still one of the safest modes of transportation, with commercial airlines maintaining an impressively low rate of fatal accidents. Source: Australian Transport Safety Bureau, National Aviation Occurrence Database 2025.
Key Points. Air New Zealand has been ranked the world's safest airline. Qantas was ranked second, as experts highlighted its ageing fleet. Virgin Australia came in fourth on the list, however, three airlines tied in third place.
Air New Zealand has been named the world's safest airline for 2025, narrowly beating Qantas by just 1.5 points, according to AirlineRatings.com's annual review of 385 carriers.
The Qantas 72-hour rule isn't one single policy but a general guideline for actions like finalizing bookings, payments, or special requests (medical, unaccompanied minors) needed at least 72 hours before departure for processing, while also defining airline responsibilities for disruptions (like cancellations or significant delays) occurring within 72 hours, meaning Qantas offers rebooking on the next available flight without charge if an involuntary change happens close to departure. Passengers should confirm details within this window for smooth operations, but the rule mainly dictates Qantas's handling of involuntary disruptions, not voluntary changes, which follow fare rules.
Based on safety ratings, incident history, and audits from sources like AirlineRatings.com and ICAO, the following airlines have concerning records:
She argues that landings are riskier than takeoffs due to fewer escape options. “It's a really critical moment, especially for midair collisions and other incidents,” Schiavo emphasized. “When you're taking off, you have the runway in front of you.
Air France and American Airlines have the most plane crashes, with 11 air crashes each. However, two plane crashes associated with American Airlines happened on September 11th, 2001.
QANTAS Crash SitePrint Page
On 24 March 1927 the DH9C G-AUED was on a regular route between Charleville and Mount Isa with Tambo as its secondary destination. It intended landing on the clay-pan that serves as Tambo's airstrip when it was seen to dive suddenly into the ground.
Qantas has noted its 787s have flown safely for millions of hours; the Flying Kangaroo operates 14 787-9s, while Jetstar flies 11 787-8s, the same variant as in the Air India crash.
Which airlines have recorded the highest number of plane crashes?
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Qantas: The Australian flag carrier consistently ranks among the safest airlines globally, boasting a long history of safety and operational excellence. Cathay Pacific / Qatar Airways / Emirates (Three-way tie): These three airlines were jointly recognized for their exceptional safety records.
However, early 2025 has been a challenging period, with a few high-profile accidents causing understandable concern among travelers. Despite these incidents, the data and history of aviation safety demonstrate that flying remains incredibly safe.
Zero FATAL jet crashes since 1959. Qantas' last fatality was in 1951 when a Drover prop aircraft crashed in PNG. Qantas started operating jets in 1959 and has never had a fatal accident since then.
Qantas offers a more premium, all-inclusive experience with a wider network, better lounges, and lie-flat business seats on some routes, while Virgin Australia competes with lower prices, better value in economy/mid-tier business, and sometimes better punctuality/fewer cancellations, though Qantas often wins on overall punctuality. The choice depends on budget, priority (price vs. premium service), and route; Qantas for premium international/network, Virgin for cost-effective domestic travel.
Our Tips for Travelling Safely
Broken bones don't have to put your travel plans on hold—but it does mean you'll need to take a few extra precautions. Whether you're wondering can you fly with a broken bone, a cast, or a fracture, the good news is yes, in most cases, you can fly with a broken bone.
Yes, $100k (AUD) is generally a very good salary in Australia, placing you above the median income and offering financial stability, though it's becoming tighter in expensive cities like Sydney due to high living costs and housing prices, making lifestyle comfort dependent on location and dependents. While it's a strong income, it's closer to the median ($90k) than the high-earning average ($108k), meaning it provides comfort but not necessarily luxury, especially with rising costs.
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Storms and floods are frequent in Australia even in urban areas. Pay attention to the Australian Bureau of Metrology warnings. A red warning mean that you need to be prepared for evacuation. Avoid driving in flood warning areas.