Helwing

Villamizar

4/1/24

DALLAS — Latin American airlines took the top spots in the Cirium On-Time Performance (OTP) 2023 Annual Review, which provides rankings for airlines, airports, and regions based on their OTP.

In aviation, an on-time flight is defined as one that arrives at its designated gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time. For airports, an on-time flight departs the gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled gate departure time.

Punctuality is a paramount factor for airlines and airports alike, as it guarantees seamless operations and maximizes aircraft utilization, the latter of which is a key factor in the success of any airline.

Cirium, a trusted source of aviation analytics that provides data to various stakeholders in the aviation industry, publishes a monthly report for each global region that highlights the most punctual airlines in various categories. Additionally, the analytics company releases its OTP annual report at the beginning of each year.

The 2023 report showcased Avianca (AV) as the top-ranking airline in terms of punctuality for the year, surpassing Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (AD) for the top position. In the global category, Delta Air Lines (DL) secured the fourth spot while emerging as the leading airline in North America. Below are the key findings.

Azul (PR-AIU) Airbus A330-200(Azul Viagens Livery). Photo: Otto Kirchof/Airways

Global Rankings

Avianca Airlines (AV) secured the top spot globally with an OTP of 85.73%.
Azul Airlines (AD) ranked second with an OTP of 85.51%.
Qatar Airways (QR) came in third place with an OTP of 85.11%.
Delta Air Lines (DL) and Iberia (IB) secured the fourth and fifth positions, respectively.

EC-LLE Iberia Express Airbus A320. Photo: Adrian Nowakowski/Airways

Regional Rankings

Delta Air Lines (DL) ranked first in North America with an OTP of 84.72%.
Iberia Express (I2) topped the list in Europe with an OTP of 84.58%.
All Nippon Airways (NH) secured the top spot in Asia Pacific with an OTP of 82.75%.
Copa Airlines (CM) claimed the first position in Latin America with an OTP of 89.46%.
Oman Air (WY) topped the list in the Middle East & Africa region with an OTP of 92.53%.

FlySafair ZS-SJG Boeing 737-800MRU FIMP. Photo: Alberto Cucini/Airways

Low-Cost Carriers

Safair (FA) secured the first position among low-cost carriers (LCC) with an OTP of 92.36%.
Azul Airlines (AD) secured the second position among LCCs with an OTP of 85.51%.
Hong Kong Express (UO) secured the third position among LCCs with an OTP of 85.23%.
Jetstar Japan (GK) secured the fourth position among LCCs with an OTP of 84.60%.
Iberia Express (I2) secured the fifth position among LCCs with an OTP of 83.58%.

Delta A321 (N386DN) with Minneapolis (MSP) tower. Photo: Mateo Skinner/Airways

Top On-time Performing Airports

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) ranked first globally among airports with an OTP of 84.44%.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) also topped the list in the large airport category.
Osaka International Airport (ITM) secured the first position in the medium airport category with an OTP of 90.71%.
Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) claimed the top spot in the small airport category with an OTP of 90.29%.

Featured image: Avianca N776AV Airbus A320-251neo. Photo: Luca Flores/Airways

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