38 Airlines Get Lowest Safety Ratings

Above, the Singapore Airlines jet I flew to Japan on last October. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When one climbs aboard an airliner to fly to a vacation destination, the idea is to get there in one piece, a hopefully alive piece.

Travel + Leisure has an article on the safest and the unsafest airlines. Sadly, 38 airlines have been rated "unsafe". You'd probably want to take look at this article before you take your next trip by air.

On the plus side, the article also names the world's 20 safest airlines, one of which is pictured above.

They begin with:

When thinking about the range of qualities we look for in an airline, the ability to deliver us to our destination alive is at the top of the list (just slightly edging out leg room). Safety is primary when flying: we want to travel on airlines that are rigorous about safety inspections, use innovative navigation technology, and adhere to basic best practices, like making sure the plane is heading in the right direction and closing all doors before taking off. 

Unfortunately, some airlines—as per the ratings listed on AirlineRatings.com—have some work to do.

To see which airlines you should probably want to avoid and the ones you can confidently feel safe aboard, go here.