Leadership effectiveness in high-consequence industries has more than a bottom-line fiscal impact; it is linked to critical issues of human safety. Performance, productivity and overall quality of service have to be managed with focus on improvement in systemic safety while simultaneously maintaining a viable and profitable organization. This premise is specifically foremost in the leadership of airline organizations. The Airline Quality Rating has become a recognized and lauded indicator of airline performance in the United States. A valid case is presented herein to confirm that the Airline Quality Rating's applied analytic methodology effectively provides a tool for assessing organizational leadership. These results provide a benchmark for global adoption in the world airline industry.