World's 10 safest airlines revealed (including British Airways)

PA

Got a fear of flying? You might want to stick to these airlines voted the ten safest carriers in the world.

British Airways, Air France, KLM and Lufthansa are the safest airlines in Europe, according to the Geneva-based air Transport Rating Agency (ATRA), which based its findings on accident figures in the last ten years and 'technical, human, organisational and external' elements.

In its 'Holistic Safety Rating' report ATRA compared publicly available data on 100 of the world's largest airlines.

According to Travel Mole, ATRA said it used available information on 15 criteria, such as the average age of the aircraft used, pilot training facilities or the homogeneity of the fleet.

The safest US carriers are American Airlines and its associate American Eagle, together with Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways - making six out of the total top ten.

Japan Airlines was the only carrier to make it into the top ten outside of the US and Europe.

And Qantas, once considered to be the world's safest airline, did not make it into the top 10 at all.

According to the Telegraph, ATRA, which operates independently of any airline, manufacturer or regulatory authority, says the study was undertaken to 'provide the aviation sector with rigorous and transparent information, liable to encourage airlines to track, interpret and discuss any criteria in the organisation contributing to flight safety'.

The list was not graded in any order, apart from alphabetical. See the world's 10 safest airlines below:

Air France-KLM

AMR Corporation (American Airlines, American Eagles)

British Airways

Continental Airlines

Delta Airlines

Japan Airlines

Lufthansa

Southwest Airlines

United Airlines

US Airways