I agree, I think the way the statistics are calculated in a way that would make it difficult to use them as an idea of how safe an airline is. The newer middle eastern airlines that are probably the safest airlines around now but don't feature and never will because its based on total flights EVER.
I have flown with Avianca in Columbia, and was horrified. I recall being in Bogata changing planes, and having no idea where to go, and eventually being bused out to this plane which was parked in such a wierd way slotted inbetween other aircraft, so that you had to move one to get the others out. There was a technician in a jeans and t-shirt hammering away at the open engine cover.... Didn't give me a lot of confidence.
Flew EgyptAir, and the cockpit door fell off on take off, nobody battered an eyelid. Was picked up and put back on its hinges after the climb.
