From this article :
MH17: Malaysia Airlines flies over Syria instead of Ukraine - Telegraph
Many other airlines however, including British Airways, Qantas and Cathay Pacific, had been avoiding flying over the Ukraine for months.
last week a Virgin plane, flight VS301 from Delhi to London, flew just 140 miles from MH17 when it was hit. A Singapore Airlines plane, flight SQ351, travelling from Copenhagen to Singapore was just 15 miles away.
I don't think I would judge an airline's potential safety solely or even primarily based on these criteria.