Airline victory safety. Rating of Russian airlines

The ever-increasing level of aviation safety brings benefits to the aviation industry every year. Back in the period from 1982 to 1991, according to the report of the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC), the flight safety index of the Soviet Union was 0.08. In the CIS countries it reached 0.1 and a little better in the USA – 0.02. The indicator was taken as the ratio of the number of accidents per 100 thousand flight hours.

Careful analysis of the causes of tragedies and flight safety management have brought air travel to a level of passenger confidence. Figures published by IATA in 2014 showed that there was 1 accident per 4.4 million flights.

According to the World Fund, from January 2018 to December 2019, more than 20 air accidents were recorded, resulting in more than 700 deaths. It is indicated that only civil aircraft with a capacity of more than 14 seats were taken into account.

To keep passengers up to date with air travel events, ICAO introduced its project - the Electronic Library of Final Reports. The portal was developed for the purpose of conducting safety lessons. Using it, you can search by incident dates and view the commission's report.

Over the entire history of air travel, only two airlines can boast of a zero percentage of accidents over the past 50 years. This is the Australian company Quantas - operating since 1922, and the Finnish Finnair - since 1923. According to JACDEC, a total of 22 global airlines are registered, during the existence of which no serious accidents have occurred.

It is important to note that the JACDEC accident database is limited to 30 years. Incidents that occurred during exercises, cargo transportation, or testing are not taken into account. Only flights with passengers on board are taken into account. 60 of the world's largest companies take part in the security analysis.

So, we present the 20 airline leaders in flight safety for 2018-2019.

In 2018, the Australian Qantas did not enter the top ten, and ended up in 13th position. And the Japanese company Japan Airlines improved its results from last year and rose from 44th place to 9th.

Russian airlines are again not included in the top 20 for safety. Aeroflot-Russian moved up only one position (35th place). And Transaero Airlines did not participate in the JACDEC analysis at all.

An expert view from Switzerland

According to experts from the Swiss agency ATRA, relying on a historical summary of aircraft accident rates is not entirely correct. In fact, any air transport is subject to external factors and it happens that the chances of survival of passengers largely depend on the qualifications of the pilot. Therefore, one of the criteria for calculating the safety factor of the ATRA rating is the level of training of pilots and controllers.

After a lengthy analysis of air incidents and accidents, ATRA has identified 15 main flight safety criteria:

• Financial position of the company;
• Passenger seat occupancy rate;
• Number of employees on board and pilots;
• The total number of kilometers traveled by the aircraft;
• Number of vessels in operation and out of production;
• Average age of operational aircraft;
• Constituent air fleet (Airbus or Boeing);
• Number of aircraft at risk;
• Number of accidents over the past 10 years.

The calculation data is based on information from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the aerospace magazine Flight Global.

For its consideration, ATRA selected 94 of the largest airlines by financial income. Of these, the first in the rating and the most reliable were Asian Air China, China Southern Airlines Group, American - AMR Corporation, Delta Air Line, Southwest Airlines, United Continental Holdings, US Airways Group, European - Air France KLM Group and International Airlines Group (statistics 2014).

European SAFA program

In 2004, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) introduced its criterion for assessing reliability - the SAFA coefficient. Unlike replicated public ratings, SAFA is currently considered the most reliable indicator of reliability. It was recognized by all world aviation experts. SAFA is a kind of final assessment of the International Operational Safety Audit (IOSA)

It is worth noting that in order to obtain an IOSA certificate, a company must pass a test of more than 1000 points of flight safety requirements.

The essence of assigning a coefficient is a random check of foreign aircraft landing in the EU by inspectors of the European Commission. It is impossible to predict when the inspection will take place. The aircraft undergoes a thorough 54-point inspection for technical condition, age of the aircraft and documentation. The SAFA coefficient is derived from the ship's shortcomings.

Subsequently, if the inspected aircraft of one airline accumulate a certain number of penalty points, then the company itself is included in the EU blacklist. In this way, flight safety over EU territory is continuously managed and improved.

Unfortunately, SAFA experts keep their conclusions private. One thing is known: the higher the company’s coefficient, the lower its reliability. The critical threshold is considered to be a coefficient of 1.95. Airlines that have received such a mark enter the red zone and come under close and regular monitoring by the European Commission.

Russian companies that have been audited following EASA certification have provided their safety ratings.

Flight safety. Documentary

0.4-0.5 – UTair, Globus;
0.5-0.8 – Yamal, Red Wings, Orenburg Airlines, Aeroflot-Nord, North Wind;
0.8 – 0.9 – “Donavia”, “GTC Russia”;
1.08 – “Transaero”;
1.25 – “Sky Express”.

The companies Vladivostok-Avia, Bashkortostan, and Dagestan Airlines have approached the threshold of the “red zone”.

There are many stories about the Pobeda airline, most of which are not particularly happy. To understand how justified they are, you need to try it yourself, fortunately a good opportunity turned up - there was a need to fly to Novosibirsk with a minimum of things. So it’s decided - I’m flying with Pobeda. What happened in the end?

Let's start with the numbers. A ticket on the route "Moscow - Novosibirsk" cost me 4943 rubles and 94 kopecks. What does the tariff consist of?

4499 rubles - basic non-refundable tariff
199 - insurance premium (waive it it is forbidden, or I didn’t figure out how. Pobeda requires it to be issued for at least one passenger per order. Because I was the only one, I had to insure myself)
149 - choice of location
96.94 - payment processing fee

Because I paid for choosing a seat, I was able to check in online, which saved me from having to come to the check-in desk - I printed out my boarding pass and went straight to security.

The flight was delayed by 50 minutes due to the late arrival of the aircraft. But I wouldn’t call this a “Victory” problem specifically; all airlines have delays for a bunch of reasons. The airline, by the way, apologized, although only upon arrival in Novosibirsk.

1. In front of the boarding gates through which Pobeda passengers pass, there are calibrators with dimensions of 36*30*27

If your bag fits in, come on in, if it doesn’t fit in, goodbye. Weight doesn't matter. However, I have not seen anyone being asked to put things into the calibrator.

Because I flew with only one small bag, which is completely uncharacteristic for me (purely for understanding - if you put your hat in there, it will take up 70 percent of the volume of the bag), there is no talk of any excess of dimensions even in theory

2. Boarding the Pobeda plane is carried out from two entrances at once - front and rear

3. Similarly with boarding buses - passengers from the front ramp sit on the first one, passengers from the rear one on the second. The first bus drives up to the nose, the second to the tail.

4. You have to freeze a little in the queue to get in, despite the fact that the flight attendants constantly ask over the speakerphone not to stand in the aisle and let other passengers pass.

By the way, landing is actually done quite quickly

The plane itself is new - Pobeda received it from the factory. I think I won’t be mistaken if I say that Pobeda has the newest fleet of aircraft among Russian airlines

The seat pitch is small, but you wouldn’t expect anything else here. However, with my height of 176 cm, my legs do not rest against the previous row - and I don’t need anything more

But the chairs themselves are more fun. It is known that Pobeda does not recline, but this is not because the airline saved money and ordered cheap seats without a reclining mechanism. There is a mechanism, judging by the button on the armrest, but it is locked. On day flights it is not critical, on night flights it creates inconvenience. It would be nice if there were no mechanism at all, then there are no questions - savings, everything, but here there is no explanation other than “the passenger must suffer” ...

There is basically no food on board the Pobeda (only water at the passenger’s request). The safety instructions are printed on the back of the seat in front; there is no pocket in it.

As for the crew, for obvious reasons, communication with them was minimal, but I have no complaints about their work. The only thing that amused me was how, at the end of disembarkation, the last passengers were asked to speed up, citing the fact that “the plane is leaving for Krasnoyarsk in two minutes.” The whole salon laughed :)

What do we end up with? Perhaps I was lucky, but all the horror stories that I heard about “Victory” turned out to be just horror stories. It’s quite possible to fly with “Victory” without feeling like someone you don’t know

Will I fly Pobeda again? 99% that no. And it's just a matter of one factor. As I wrote above, you can take hand luggage with you into the cabin with a volume of 36 * 30 * 27, and I almost always fly with a camera and a photo backpack, respectively

So, I can’t take my photo backpack into the salon. even for a fee. Anything that doesn't fit goes into your luggage. And to check in photographic equipment as luggage - sorry, no

Let me remind you that I publish all the latest news in

In modern society, demand determines supply in all sectors of the economy and business. Air transportation is no exception to the rule. Today, people use airline services based on the reliability and comprehensive service that the company offers to customers. Let's consider the rating of airlines in Russia and the world, having studied several selection criteria by passengers.

Fundamentals of competitiveness of flight holdings

First, let’s determine what criteria there are for evaluating an air carrier and how objective such a survey is. Today, such lists of the best businesses are developed by automated systems based on customer votes. At the same time, there are several different directions in determining the winner. Such assessments are always based on reviews from passengers of various air carriers - periodically the system processes new data and verifies the information. As a rule, this assessment option today is considered quite reliable and inspires confidence among the world community and narrow specialists in the field of aviation.

Today, the world's survey, which has been supervised by Skytrax for 14 years, is ranked highest. Other similar ratings are compiled for individual continents, their parts and specific countries. Moreover, the charts are divided into several parameters for assessing the company. The rating is based on the size and technical suitability of the aircraft fleet, the level of passenger traffic, and travel comfort. Let's consider what the main directions in airline evaluation are.

Passengers most often note the safety of aircraft of specific airlines. Here the condition of fleet aircraft and the number of accidents over the past year are assessed. Another important selection criterion is the justification of the level of service. Here, clients talk about the training of airline personnel, the quality of food on board the aircraft, and the internal condition of the cabin.

Such details characterize the policy of attitude towards passengers and indicate the readiness of a particular enterprise to top the world leaderboards. Sometimes the parameters for evaluating an air carrier include customer reviews of the quality of online service and willingness to follow global trends in information technology. For example, to provide uninterrupted Wi-Fi and mobile communications during the flight for the convenience of customers.

Gradations of assessment in the world

The names of airlines are ordered and systematized in descending order of quality of passenger service. Thus, the latest survey, conducted in 100 countries and covering about 19,000,000 respondents, says that today customers consider the company to be the world leader in this field " Qatar Airways" Representatives of Russian airlines were included in the top hundred.

The largest Russian airlines " Aeroflot"improved their position and rose to 40th place. In 2015, this company ranked forty-sixth. If we take into account the safety rating in Europe, the leading position here is occupied by the Dutch company " KLM" Airlines « Aeroflot» in this selection are on the 13th line of the European ranking and 35th position in the world selection. In addition, the famous Russian carrier is recognized as the best company in Eastern Europe.

As for the level of service on board among European countries, Aeroflot is at the top of the survey here too. Today airlines occupy 8th position in terms of quality of passenger service.

Another airline from the Russian Federation appeared on the safety rating chart for the first time – “ Victory" The carrier is recognized as one of the safest in Europe and took an honorable 10th place. And the airline from Russia " S7» took fourth place among the best regional carriers in Europe. Let us note that the first place in this ranking went to the Greeks. Airlines « Aergean Airlines» recognized as the best carrier in the region.

The most reliable domestic air carriers

Now, having understood a little about the state of affairs in this area, let’s clarify the names of the enterprises for which Russians are voting this year. Let's start with the reliability rating. This criterion means that the carrier obtains a certificate from the European Aviation Safety Agency - EASA, membership in the international civil flight organizations - ICAO and IOSA. In addition, the technical equipment of the airliner, the absence of crashes and emergencies, and the professionalism of the pilots play a role.

In our country, a similar rating is formed annually, where passengers evaluate Russian airlines. The list of the most reliable carriers of the current year looks like this:

1. Aeroflot . This group is based at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport. The company's air fleet is constantly updated and replenished. By the end of 2015, the number of liners amounted to 168 units with an average age of ships of 4 years and six months. The airlines have been members of the Sky Team, an international association of air carriers, for 10 years. These parameters indicate a safe flight and made " Aeroflot» leader of the domestic rating.
2. "Russia" . The second stage went to a company based at St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport. This company is part of the group Aeroflot"and operates flights through a fleet of 25 aircraft. Moreover, the age of the aircraft here reaches 13 years. Now the carrier has merged with another company - “ Orenburg AL" Accordingly, the fleet was replenished with 19 models of airliners, whose age is about 11 years. By the way, based on the results of 2015, “ Orenburg Airlines» took third place among the leaders in safe flights in Russia.
3. "Victory" . Another one of the most reliable Russian carriers in terms of safety. The airline's base is located at Moscow's Vnukovo airport. All 12 aircraft of the flight enterprise have been in operation for about two years. These airlines became a subsidiary of the group " Aeroflot» with the aim of providing citizens of the country with affordable low-cost flights.
4. "Yamal" . This airline also entered the top five reliable carriers, which today occupies the place of the largest carrier in the Western Siberian region and fourth position in the All-Russian rating. Here the company has 24 aircraft on its balance sheet, the average age of which is 14 years. The carrier's main base is in Salekhard.
5. "I Fly" . The young airline, whose fleet consists of only 4 aircraft, was also included in the list of reliable carriers in the country and holds fifth position. The planes on the balance sheet of these airlines have been flying for 17 years and 6 months, and the company is based in the capital’s Vnukovo airstrip complex. Today, the Federal Air Transport Agency has somewhat limited the activities of the enterprise, so it is now difficult to predict whether the company will maintain its position next year.

Yamal Airlines took fourth place in the ranking of the most reliable carriers in Russia

As you can see, the safest airlines are the best representatives of this field, which offer passengers decent flight conditions, guaranteeing safety for customers.

The largest airlines in Russia

Now let's evaluate the rating of the largest airlines in the Russian Federation. Here, undoubtedly, the oldest carrier is in the lead - “ Aeroflot" In fact, this is the country's largest holding company, which offers clients flights to 50 countries around the world. The airlines fly to 131 airports, providing transatlantic, intercontinental and domestic flights. Now the group is intensively replenishing its fleet - by the fall of 2018, flights will already be carried out by 180 aircraft. At the end of the first quarter of 2016, the group's passenger turnover was 8,504,023 people.

The S7 Group company took second place in the ranking of Russian leaders in passenger traffic

The second largest domestic airline is “ S7" This holding includes the charter carrier " globe" Tolmachevo Airport in Novosibirsk became the carrier’s base. This company operates flights to 83 different destinations. It offers passengers intercontinental and domestic flights to countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. As of April 2016, airline services " S7 Group» used by 2,630,840 people.

The top three leaders in Russia in terms of size and passenger turnover are “ UTair" Even the consequences of the crisis, which resulted in a significant reduction in the company’s aircraft fleet, did not affect the carrier’s ability to operate regular domestic flights throughout the country, fly to the CIS countries and conduct charter flights to resort destinations. Today the company's fleet includes 62 aircraft. By the beginning of the second quarter of 2016, the company transported 1,673,097 passengers.

The fourth line of the rating here is occupied by “ Ural Airlines" The airline cooperates with 50 major air carriers in the world and, after changing its fleet, owns 37 Airbus aircraft. Today, the airline fleet consists of modern and comfortable models, so this year the company will be able to compete for the comfort of flight in the world rankings. By April 2016 " Ural Airlines» served 1,467,139 clients.

Ural Airlines deservedly entered the top five best airlines in Russia

The airline is in fifth position on the chart. Russia" Since the beginning of this year, this subsidiary holding of Aeroflot has included three airlines: “ Russia», « Orenburg AL" And " Donavia" The group's airliners fly to 50 different points on the planet, with half of the flights being domestic flights within the country. The company currently operates 61 aircraft, and in the future an additional 24 aircraft are expected. As for the number of passengers that the airlines transported by April of this year, 1,363,039 people used the company’s services.

As you can see, there are quite a lot of options for choosing a carrier. Therefore, when planning your trip, take into account the opinions of other passengers regarding the safety of the flight, the level of customer service and other additional services. The given ratings will help you navigate correctly and make a good choice. And the video will show the results of a survey conducted a year ago to assess the dynamics of development in this industry.

World, continental and national airline ratings are compiled according to various criteria: safety, quality of customer service, passenger traffic and fleet
Qatar Airways became the world leader at the end of 2015.
The list of Russian airlines is headed by the Aeroflot group - these airlines have become the leader in the ratings of Eastern Europe and are included in the top hundred of the world chart
Pobeda Airlines was included in the rating of the most reliable carriers in Russia and Europe

Summing up the results of 2017, the Federal Air Transport Agency published brief statistics on the work of civil aviation in the Russian Federation. The big picture for the participants rating of Russian airlines 2018 looks good. The air transportation market continues to develop, and almost all reliable Russian airlines included in the list demonstrated an average increase in the number of passengers and kilometers flown by 15%. At the same time, the weight of the top five airlines continues to grow. If in 2017 they occupied 67.4% of the total volume, then in 2018 it was already 85%.

Travel with a reliable tour operator: .

Read also:, the best airlines of the year according to Skytrax.

The rating of the largest airlines in Russia opens with Nordwind Airlines, also known as “North Wind”. Over the past year, the number of passengers amounted to 3.5 million people and increased by 95% compared to 2016. Passenger turnover also showed growth, increasing by 44%.

One of the largest charter carriers in Russia, which transported more than 2.2 million passengers in 2017, was called to the carpet by the Federal Air Transport Agency in the summer of 2016 due to constant long flight delays of up to several tens of hours. The carrier promised to take action. If the company fails to arrange regular flights at the exact time, the company faces restrictions on transportation.

Azur Air was a subsidiary of UTair, but two years ago it set out on its own. In 2017, the number of passengers of the company amounted to 3.6 million people, almost 2/3 more compared to 2016.

Globus is part of the S7 Group, being a subsidiary of the airline giant Siberia, which took second place in the ranking of the best airlines. 2017 turned out to be favorable for the company - the number of passengers increased by 20.2%, amounting to 4.1 million people.

The Aeroflot subsidiary, which took over the baton from Dobroleta, which died as a result of UES sanctions, is positioned as a budget company. Although the first tickets for the new airline's flights were sold only two years ago, it confidently entered the top 10 airlines in Russia.

The number of passengers in 2017 amounted to 4.3 million people, an increase of 5% compared to 2016. Despite its youth, Pobeda’s flights have already become surrounded by scandals. Users are dissatisfied with the policy of keeping silent about the real price of a flight, demands to pay for the opportunity for families to sit together, flight delays and cases when more tickets are sold for a flight than the number of seats.

In fifth place in the ranking of Russian airlines in 2018 are Ural Airlines, which transported 7.5 million people in 2017, demonstrating an increase of 25%. In the meantime, the company is demanding that the Federal Air Transport Agency pay for the transportation of WWII veterans to celebrate the anniversary of the Victory in 2015. The Federal Air Transport Agency rejected the application for payment, citing the fact that it did not contain the words “including VAT” and other points of the same importance.

The owner of the world's largest operating helicopter fleet appears to have recovered from the crisis of late 2014. In 2017, the number of passengers transported by this company amounted to 6.8 million people, an increase of 9.1% compared to 2016.

The second subsidiary of giant Aeroflot, which made it into the top ten of the 2018 Russian airline rankings, carried more than 10.6 million people last year, posting an impressive 41.5% growth in passenger numbers - the highest of any ranked airline. At the same time, passenger turnover increased by 55.3%.

In second place in the ranking of the largest airlines in Russia is Siberia, also known as S7 Airlines, which carries out transportation to 83 destinations both in Russia and abroad. Most of the latter, however, are served by partner airlines. In total, 9.3 million passengers were transported in 2017.

Russians continue to fly on Aeroflot planes. In 2017, the company transported more than 30.5 million people, surpassing Siberia, which took second place in the rating, by more than 3 times. It is not surprising, since Aeroflot is the largest and oldest Russian airline, which has been transporting passengers since 1923. Although the company was included in the black sanctions list of Ukraine, this does not prevent the increase in the number of shipments.

According to such criteria as the number of passengers and passenger turnover, the company recorded an increase of 12% over the past year. By the way, Aeroflot can also be called one of the safest airlines in Russia in 2018- not a single major plane crash occurred on its lines, counting, of course, subsidiaries and accidents caused by the actions of third parties. In the airline safety rating published in 2017 by the auditing company JACDEC, Aeroflot is in 37th place.

World Airlines Safety Ranking 2017 (JACDEC)

The holiday season is approaching, which means that the demand for air carrier services will increase significantly. Fear of flying causes many travelers to choose an airline primarily based on safety ratings.

Over the past 16 years, the auditing company Jacdec (Germany) has been ranking the safest airlines in the world. Since 2018, instead of the Safety Index, which was used for 15 years, the Safety Risk Index is used.

To determine the indicator, the following data is considered:

• Information about incidents (accidents, disasters) over the past 30 years, taking into account the number of passengers transported and the total flight distance. The presence of incidents that did not result in an accident during the same period of time. Number of lost aircraft that cannot be recovered.
• Various airline performance indicators, including aircraft age, safety inspections by international organizations (IOSA, IKAO).
• Additional factors (state of airport infrastructure, weather conditions).

• Emirates;
• Norwegian;
• Virgin Atlantic;
• EasyJet;
• Finnair;
• Eithad Airways;
• Spirit Airlines;
• Jetstar Airways;
• Air Arabia.

The Russian company Aeroflot ranks 73 out of 100 on this list.

Experts from the Swiss Air Transport Agency (ATRA) believe that one of the main criteria (there are 15 in total) when compiling a safety rating should be the level of training of pilots and air traffic controllers. According to 2014 data, among the leaders are Air China, Delta Air Line, Air France KLM Group, US Airways Group.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has developed its own system for assessing safety and reliability - the SAFA coefficient. To determine it, planes landing in the EU are checked at 54 points. If a certain value of the coefficient is exceeded, airlines are placed under special control of the European Commission. Research data is not publicly available.

How to choose an airline for safety

If you are puzzled by choosing an air carrier for the first time, information about their types and varieties of flights will not be superfluous.

Types of airlines

• Long-haul. They operate flights lasting 6 hours or more.
• Medium-haul. Their route network is dominated by flights taking less than 6 hours.
• Semi-discounters. They attract passengers with tickets at a lower price than those offered by medium-haul companies. However, in-flight meals are offered for an additional fee, and there are restrictions on the amount of luggage.
• Low-cost airline. We offer low ticket prices excluding additional services. Thus, the cost of luggage, for example, may be equal to the amount paid for the ticket. The carrier has the right to cancel any flight. When choosing a discount company, you need to weigh all the pros and cons so that the benefit from the low price of the flight is not offset by the lack of services that are important to you.

Types of flights

• One way (one or more flights);
• Both ways. The journey begins and ends at the same point and takes place along the same route on aircraft of the same company.
• Round. In the opposite direction they fly by a different route or on a plane of another carrier.

Passenger service classes

• First;
• Business Class;
• Economy class.

They differ from each other in the comfort of the seats, the size of baggage carried without payment, the quality of the menu, and the availability of additional services.

Both “classic” and low-cost air carriers have their leaders, who are very popular among passengers, known for their reliability and level of service, and top the top lines of various ratings. If we talk about world air carriers, then these are, for example, Lufthansa, Emirates, Air France - KLM, AirNew Zealand, VirginAtlantic. When planning budget flights, you should pay attention to the airlines AirAsia, Ryanair, EasyJet, Germanwings, Red Wings, and Pobeda.

It would be useful to familiarize yourself with the global airline safety rating, as well as domestic Russian reviews and studies.

An important criterion for a carrier’s safety is the age of the aircraft; the younger it is, the better (although with proper maintenance, aircraft can last for many years, according to statistics, accidents occur more often with older models). For those who understand the topic, additional food for thought can be obtained by knowing the type of aircraft. For example, the Boeing 767 is designed to carry up to 240 passengers, which can be significant if you don't like crowded company.

Rating of the safest airlines in Russia and the world

Note: The “Average price” section provides an example of the cost of a flight to one of the popular destinations.

Russian Airlines

In our country, air transportation services in Russia and around the world are provided by more than 70 companies, both private and public.

Ural Airlines

Headquarters: Yekaterinburg.

The company's aircraft fleet includes 44 aircraft of various capacities, the average age of which is 12 years. The air carrier operates intercity and international flights to 183 destinations. Since the start of operations, there have been three incidents that did not result in loss of life due to the experience of the pilots. The company has an IOSA certificate confirming compliance with international security standards.

Advantages:

• Electronic registration;
• There is a bonus program “Wings”;
• A ship fleet renewal program is underway;
• System of special offers;
• Aircraft maintenance according to a strict schedule;
• Regular courses to improve pilot qualifications.

Flaws:

• Flight delays and cancellations;
• There are user complaints about the incorrect operation of the online ticket purchasing service;
• Some passengers find the food portions small.

Average price: flight Moscow-Bangkok (Thailand): 22,030 rubles.

Aeroflot - Russian Airlines

Headquarters: Moscow.

The company was founded in 1923. The fleet consists of 232 aircraft (average age is 4 years). Aviation consulting company Skytrax awarded Aeroflot 4 stars for the level of service (2016). Since the carrier's operation, only 4 accidents have occurred. The route network includes destinations in Russia, the CIS and various parts of the world (including Thailand, China, Turkey, the Czech Republic, and Spain, which are popular among our compatriots).

Advantages:

• Aeroflot Bonus incentive program;
• Good user reviews about the professionalism of the crew and the quality of service;
• One of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world;
• Special services for persons with disabilities;
• It is possible to pre-order special meals.

Flaws:

• There are cases of lost luggage;
• Cases of flight cancellations without prior notification of passengers;
• Complaints about the quality of service at the airport, the difficulty of resolving controversial issues;
• Long response time to complaints.

Average price: Flight Moscow-Bangkok (Thailand) – 14,058 rubles.

Headquarters: Novosibirsk region, Ob.

Founded in 1992 on the basis of the Tolmachevsky united air squad. The fleet includes 80 aircraft, the average age of which is 8 years. During the company's activities, three high-profile plane crashes occurred. Operates domestic and international flights to more than 130 destinations (CIS countries, Europe, the Middle East and Asia). After passing the appropriate procedures to comply with security standards, the company is included in the list of IOSA operators.

Advantages:

• There are many good reviews about the professionalism of the pilots;
• Online services;
• Frequent flyer rewards program;
• Current member of IATA (International Air Transport Association);
• Wide network of flights throughout Russia.

Flaws:

• There are negative reviews about the quality of service on board.

Average price: flight Moscow-Bangkok (Thailand) – 14,083 rubles.

Headquarters: Tyumen.

The company dates back to 1967. It carries out not only passenger but also cargo transportation, including helicopter transportation. Provides air transportation in Russia and abroad. The air fleet includes 65 aircraft, with an average age of 15.4 years. The number of accidents during the operation of the air carrier is 8, with 80 deaths.

Advantages:

• Positive feedback about the professionalism of pilots;
• Friendly service;
• Cheap tickets;
• Utair Status loyalty program.

Flaws:

• There are negative reviews about the service at the check-in;
• There are complaints about the work of the call center;

Average price: Moscow-Berlin: 6,308 rubles. (standard-economy).

Foreign airlines

Headquarters: Dubai.

One of the largest airlines in the world. It began transporting people by air in 1985. The fleet includes 261 aircraft. On the Russian route it operates flights to Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Advantages:

• High level of service;
• New aircraft;
• Polite staff;
• Tasty food;
• Ice entertainment system;
• Convenient to fly to Thailand.

Flaws:

• There are complaints from users about lost luggage.

Average price: flight Moscow-Barcelona – 79,340 rubles. (with a transfer in Dubai).

Norwegian Air Shuttle

Headquarters: Forneby (Oslo).

Low cost airline. The air fleet consists of 117 aircraft. In Russia it operates flights to St. Petersburg. In total, the route list includes 120 destinations around the world, connecting Europe with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa.

Advantages:

• New aircraft;
• Low prices;
• It is profitable to fly to Europe;
• Good level of service.

Flaws:

• Not found yet.

Average price: flight Riga-Barcelona – $258.20.

Virgin Atlantic Airways

The company specializes in long- and medium-haul flights to 31 destinations (Africa, North America, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean, Australia). The air fleet is equipped with 37 aircraft.

Advantages:

• High level of service;
• Good food;
• Polite staff.

Flaws:

• Economy class has small seats, according to some passengers.

Average price: Flight Dubai-London – 42,330 rubles. (Economy class).

Headquarters: Amsterdam.

This Dutch airline was founded back in 1919. Currently it is part of the Air-France-KLM holding. It operates both domestic and international flights, including flights to Moscow and St. Petersburg. The company's aircraft fleet numbers 117 units. The route network includes about 150 destinations.

Advantages:

• Good level of service;
• Polite staff;
• Member of the Sky Team aviation alliance.

Flaws:

• There are cases of lost luggage.

Average price: Moscow-Madrid flight (with a transfer in Amsterdam) – 17,402 rubles.

Easy Jet Airline Company Limited

Headquarters: Luton.

One of the largest budget airlines in Europe (low-cost airlines). Founded in 1995. The air fleet includes 280 aircraft. The company's route network includes more than 600 flights.

Advantages:

• Inexpensive tickets can be purchased;
• New aircraft;
• Lots of flights in Europe.

Flaws:

• There are cases of damage to luggage;
• Meals on the way for a fee;
• Doesn't fly to Russia.

Average price: Flight Amsterdam - Lisbon - 77.23 euros.

Headquarters: Vantaa (Finland).

This Finnish airline has been operating by air since 1923. Since 1963, no accidents involving human casualties have been recorded and not a single aircraft has been lost. The company operates domestic and international flights, including to Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Samara). The air fleet has 71 aircraft.

Advantages:

• High level of safety and reliability;
• Convenient flight schedule;
• Favorable prices for pre-purchased tickets;
• Polite flight attendants;
• When transporting an animal, you can take it into the cabin.

Flaws:

• There are no free meals on short flights.

Average price: Flight St. Petersburg-Barcelona – 26,414 rubles.

The plane is considered the safest mode of transport. Not all passengers suffer from aerophobia, but probably everyone experiences varying degrees of anxiety when flying. To reduce the level of concern, it is useful to familiarize yourself with the ratings of reliable airlines, and, if possible, choose a carrier with a name and history that invests money in updating the air fleet and cares about the comfort and safety of passengers.