Air India's horrific crash last Thursday has refocused attention on safety, with many now feeling understandably anxious about flying. The reality, though, is that taking to the skies has never been safer than it is today.

Research carried out by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) showed that in the period between 2018 and 2022, the risk of dying from air travel was just 1 per every 13.7 million passenger boardings. This is considerably less than the chances of being killed in a car crash. The lifetime odds of dying in a car accident are approximately 1 in 95, or about 1.05%.

This means that for every 95 people, one is expected to die in a car accident during their lifetime.

Naturally, many passengers will take an airline's reputation for safety into consideration when planning to travel.

To help the public assess the risks, AirlineRatings has carried out its own survey of carriers operating in the world.

It lists out the top 25 based on a variety of factors, including the age of its aircraft, the number of planes it operates, the pilot training it provides and the rate of incidents reported.

Also taken into account are the finances of a company, as those doing struggling to balance the books may be tempted to cut corners.

The ranking also considers whether the airline is from a country that has passed the ICAO country audit, known as the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP).

This audit allows ICAO to assess the implementation of safety oversight in the nation and compliance with best practices.

Finally, it considers whether the airline has passed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), a global industry standard for airline operational safety auditing.

Top of the pops in the budget airline category is Ryanair, which was deemed the safest low-cost company in Europe, as well as claiming third place in the global ranking.

The airline has never had a fatal accident to date during in its 40-year history, and says it "continues to prioritise the safety and security of our people and customers above all else."

Following in its slip stream, is easyJet which came in second place for the European rankings and fourth in the global category.

Wizz Air secured its place as the third safest low-cost airline in Europe, and the seventh globally.