Aegean Airlines dominates the 2026 ranking by AirAdvisor, a private platform that helps and compensates air passengers, in a study focused on the safety of 20 major European airlines. Ryanair and Austrian Airlines complete the podium, securing second and third places, respectively. Air France ranks sixth, tied with British Airways and Iberia. The study, based on ten years of data and six weighted criteria, highlights the performance of these carriers in various safety and operational aspects. Aegean Airlines achieved the highest score of 89 out of 100, thanks to its perfect safety record between 2016 and 2025, with no accidents reported during that period. The Greek airline also received strong evaluations for its operational safety systems, its fleet, and its financial stability. Ryanair, a low-cost carrier, ranked second with 86 points, while Austrian Airlines came in third with 85.5 points. Three other low-cost airlines—Norwegian and SunExpress—completed the top five, with scores of 85 and 84.5 points, respectively. Air France, British Airways, and Iberia all scored 83.5 points, sharing sixth place. The study considered ten traditional airlines and ten low-cost carriers, selected based on their 2025 flight volumes and continuous operational history between 2016 and 2025. Safety record accounted for 40% of the final score, while certifications and audits contributed 20%, operational safety 15%, fleet performance 10%, pilot training 10%, and financial stability 5%. AirAdvisor used accident data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), regulatory information, and public data from the 20 airlines. It also incorporated data from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on the effectiveness of national monitoring systems. Traditional airlines scored an average of 82.8 out of 100, compared to 79.2 for low-cost carriers, a gap of 3.6 points. However, the difference in safety records was smaller, with traditional airlines scoring 35.5 out of 40 and low-cost carriers scoring 34.3. Both groups scored similarly in operational safety, at 10.6 out of 15. Traditional carriers had an edge in certifications and audits, while low-cost carriers performed better in fleet evaluations, which consider the age and technical features of aircraft. Anton Radchenko, founder and general manager of AirAdvisor, warned against equating safety solely with the age of an aircraft. While a newer fleet may offer technological and efficiency benefits, he emphasized that proper maintenance can ensure the safety of older planes for decades. He urged passengers not to rely on a single factor when assessing airline safety. The ranking should be interpreted with caution, as it covers only 20 European airlines and depends on the criteria and weightings selected by AirAdvisor. It does not reflect the overall probability of an accident for any airline. A high score in one category does not guarantee a top position, as seen with British Airways, SAS, and Eurowings, which had perfect safety records but did not finish in the top five. A lower ranking does not necessarily mean an airline is less safe, the website added.