Planecrashinfo has taken the statistics for 20 years - from 1989 through 2008 and looked at the major airlines in the world, and assessed their accident rates.

According to their statistics, the 10 major airlines around the world with the least number of accidents between 1989 and 2008 are:

• 1. Delta Airlines
• 2. Southwest Airlines
• 3. Northwest Airlines
• 4. Continental Airlines
• 5. Lufthansa
• 6. British Airways

• 7. Air Canada
• 8. All Nippon Airways
• 9. Iberia Airlines
• 10. JAL - Japan Airlines

Airlines in North America:

• 1. Delta Airlines
• 2. Southwest Airlines
• 3. Northwest Airlines
• 4. Continental Airlines
• 5. Air Canada
• 6. American Airlines
• 7. Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air
• 8. US Airways
• 9. Hawaiian Airlines
• 10. American Eagle

Airlines in Europe:

• 1. Lufthansa
• 2. British Airways
• 3. Iberia Airlines
• 4. KLM
• 5. SAS Scandinavian
• 6. Finnair
• 7. Ryanair
• 8. EasyJet
• 9. Aer Lingus
• 10. Tap Air Portugal

For an interesting read you can read the list of statistics for the 88 airlines used in the statistical analysis at Planecrashinfo