Cirium, a leading aviation analytics firm, unveiled its annual on-time performance rankings for 2023, shedding light on the punctuality of airlines worldwide. Analyzing a vast dataset of over 35 million flights, Cirium’s report provides a comprehensive overview of airlines’ adherence to scheduled arrival times.
To determine on-time performance, Cirium assessed whether flights arrived within 14 minutes and 59 seconds of their scheduled arrival times. The rigorous analysis also factored in the airlines’ sizes, operating models, passenger carrying capacity, and the number of international regions served to ensure a fair evaluation. Cirium’s methodology involved consultation with an advisory board comprising industry experts to ensure accuracy.
Avianca emerged as the global leader in on-time performance for 2023, with just under 86% of its flights arriving punctually, showcasing a significant improvement from its sixth-place ranking in 2022. Mike Malik, Cirium’s Chief Marketing Officer, attributed Avianca’s success to a transformative phase post-bankruptcy in 2020. The airline’s rebranding and adoption of a new business model contributed to its resurgence.
Following closely behind Avianca were Azul Brazilian Airlines and Qatar Airways, securing on-time performance rates of 85.51% and 85.11%, respectively. Delta Air Lines Inc. and Iberia rounded out the top five, showcasing their strong punctuality globally.
However, Cirium noted a general decline in airlines’ punctuality compared to previous years, with this year’s highest on-time arrival rate standing at 85.73%, around 2 points lower than in previous years.
Surprisingly, Japanese airlines, typically renowned for their punctuality, witnessed a significant drop in their on-time performance towards the end of the third quarter of 2023, an aspect Cirium found challenging to explain.
In regional rankings, Delta Airlines dominated North America, while American Airlines notably improved its on-time performance, ranking third globally in Cirium’s monthly report for November 2023.
African and Middle Eastern carriers surpassed Asia-Pacific airlines in on-time performance, a shift attributed to their capacity to meet demand.
Oman Air secured the top spot for the Middle East and Africa for the second consecutive year, while Japan’s All Nippon Airways led in Asia-Pacific. Iberia Express, based in Madrid, topped Europe’s rankings.
The report also highlighted punctuality among low-cost carriers, with South Africa-based Safair claiming the top position. Copa Airlines, Oman Air, and Safair, although not qualifying for global rankings, showcased remarkable punctuality.
Cirium’s comprehensive analysis offers valuable insights into the dynamic landscape of global airline punctuality, highlighting both success stories and shifts in performance across regions and carrier categories.
Sources By Agencies
