SAINT ALLED - yes, its easy in the UK. Pick a brand you know and the chances are you will be as safe as its ever likely to be in the air.
If you picked the well known brand then turn up at the airport and find the A/c has a different paint job from that expected, then you have a reasonable expectation that your 'well known brand' has subbed out to a reasonably reliable and safe outfit. Its their brand reputation at stake as well as your life.
If you have to fly on a non-uk operated flight, there are still plenty of well known brands in Europe and N.America you can reasonably rely on.
Once you outside Europe - N. America, pick the FLAG CARRIER for that country. Best option, but not 100%. Remember Lo Cost outside Europe is not the same as EasyJet.
If you are in the back of beyond in a small turboprop, LOOK at it before you board even in the 3rd. world a well maintained, clean aircraft speaks volumes, chances are you will see the pilots, do they look professional? If you arn't happy, DON'T GO. Take some responsibility for your own life. Even though we treat aircraft like buses these days, they are not.
These are, of course HUGE generalisations, but I've used them up to the point of not flying on one occasion. I'm also very picky at what airline I send my family on. I'd rather not save £100 and fly with Air SomewhreWeird!
All this leads to Manx2, which would seem to escape the above rules, up to the point whrere it would say Fairchild Metro, at which point I would have got myself an Avis hire car and driven to Cork.
NSF +1