These Are The Best Airlines and Airports to Choose, If You Want To Take-Off On Time

Leading Air Travel Data firm OAG has published its annual punctuality report, revealing the most punctual airlines and airports around the world.

Hawaiian Airlines was the most punctual airline this year, with an average on-time performance (OTP) for 2016 of 89.87%. In 2015, the airline ranked in 9th place among the world’s airlines.

Copa Airlines held its 2nd place ranking of 2015 with an OTP of 88.75% in 2016.

Closely behind, in 3rd place, is KLM with OTP of 87.89%, moving up the ranking from 12th place in 2015.

The largest airline featuring among the Top 20 airlines worldwide for OTP is Delta Air Lines, which operated the second largest number of flights of any airline in 2016.

“For an airline of this size, the fact that over 84% of all flights arrived on time over a year is a remarkable achievement,” OAG states.

Among the Top 20 airlines, there are four LCCs: Monarch, is the highest ranked of these in ninth place with OTP of 85.67%. GOL, Transavia and Jet2 are the other leading LCCs for OTP.

A separate chart shows the best OTP performers among LCCs.

Airports

Birmingham Airport in the UK comes in at the top spot for all airports, regardless of airport size, in OAG’s “Punctuality League” with on-time performance of 91.28% for 2016. Birmingham is categorised as a Medium Airport by

A close second, was Newcastle Airport with 90.94% on-time performance.

The third most punctual airport was Surabaya in Indonesia with 90.30% on time performance. Surabaya also ranked first among large airports.

Tokyo Haneda airport has won the top spot for timeliness in the category of Major Airports

“As we’ve shown before, neither size nor geography is necessarily a barrier to great on-time performance. Winners and runners-up in 2016 include both large and small airports and airlines, those which handle snow and those blessed with sun. Furthermore, the improvements in ranking shown by some of our winners demonstrate that on-time performance is one aspect of customer service which airlines and airports can change,” OAG states in its announcement.

“A particular mention should go to Delta Air Lines and its hub airports. As one of the very largest airlines in the world, its ranking in 15th place overall among all airlines, is commendable and the fact that four of its hub airports—Detroit, Atlanta, Minneapolis and Seattle—all feature among the Top 10 Major Airports worldwide says something for its operations.”

OAG Punctuality League

OAG’s Punctuality League rankings are based on approximately 54 million flight records using full-year data from 2016 to showcase the best performers in a range of categories.

To qualify for the OAG Punctuality League, the OAG schedules
database must have data for at least 80% of all scheduled flights operated by an airline or for an airport.

OAG’s definition of on-time performance (OTP) is a flight that arrives or departs within 14 minutes and 59 seconds (under 15 minutes) of its scheduled arrival/departure time.

• Cancellations are also included.
• The minimum threshold for airports is 2.5m one-way seats. Airports include arriving and departing OTP.
• Small airports — 2.5-5 million seats
• Medium airports — 5-10 million seats
• Large airports — 10-20 million seats
• Major airports — over 20 million seats
• The minimum threshold for airlines is the Top 200 by annual Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs). Airline OTP is for arrivals only.
• Mainline airlines (i.e., excluding low-cost carriers) must have been ranked among the Top 200 operators globally in terms of Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) in 2016 and must have operated more than 30,000 scheduled flights in 2016.
• Low-cost carriers (LCC) must have ranked among the Top 200 operators globally in terms of Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) in 2016 and operated at least 30,000 scheduled flights in 2016. The OAG LCC list was refreshed earlier this year and is determined by our industry knowledge, supplemented by carrier feedback and consultation with industry partners.
• There are four regional categories which rank the best airlines, mainline and LCC, operating in each of the IATA-de ned global regions. In each category, airlines must have operated a minimum of 18,000 scheduled flights in 2016 to qualify for inclusion.
• • Asia and Southwest Pacific
  • Europe, the Middle East and Africa
  • Latin America
  • North America

In OAG’s report, a ‘record’ is defined as a flight for which OAG either has a ‘code,’ or an actual time of arrival (and departure in the case of airports), and this year includes cancelled services.

A copy of the full OTP rankings report is available here on OAG’s website.