I’ve had a request or two for my personal ‘black list’. Well, it’s just that – personal – not written down and largely a matter of personal preference and gut feeling. It’s certainly not my place to indulge in what is, to a fair extent, speculation – although if anyone has a specific carrier in mind I’ll let them have what info I have if they drop me an e mail.
Preconceived ideas can be misleading and, just as a matter of interest, here are a couple of thoughts regarding airlines that have received a mention in this thread:
Aeroflot. A lot of people confuse the ‘old’ operation (which included all the small regional and national airlines) with the current Aeroflot Russian International Airlines. Aeroflot’s fleet of Western-built aircraft is modern and expanding – and since the Airbus loss in 1994 has an enviable loss record.
AirTran – a couple of press snips: <<AirTran Airways has been recognised by the Federal Aviation Administration for developing improved techniques to assure the quality of inspections of a component in the horizontal stabilisers of Boeing DC-9, 717 and MD-80 aircraft.” "The work of the AirTran Airways team is recognized by the FAA as a major endeavor to improve aviation safety," said Ben Coleman, Safety Program Manager, Airworthiness, at the FAA's Orlando, Florida, Flight Standards District Office. "They contributed significantly to our ongoing efforts to enhance the safety of flight wherever and whenever possible.">> << This is not the first time AirTran Airways maintenance personnel have been cited by the FAA for excellence. This year, for the fifth year in a row, AirTran Airways earned the FAA's Aviation Safety Program "Special Recognition Award," an honour bestowed upon those carriers that achieve above and beyond the required levels of safety training for their aviation mechanic technicians.>>
None of the foregoing is any form of recommendation or otherwise on my part. I’m just trying to demonstrate that reputations (good or bad) are not the only aspects of an operation that should be considered. Here’s a parting thought – if you were flying to (say) a South American country, would you feel happier with a major European or North American Carrier, or the country’s own national airline with its’ better knowledge of local operating conditions?