News Backgrounder
Asia suffers in on time performance lottery
Maintaining one of the industry’s crucial metrics – on time performance – is under pressure as Asia-Pacific airlines buy more planes to accommodate passenger demand. An industry survey released last month once again highlighted the problem with the news that only a small number of Asian airports and airlines rate in the top twenty global tables for on time performance.
June 1st 2016
The good news for air travelers is that despite growing air traffic and congestion issues in many parts of the world their trip through an airport and their chances of on-time departure are better than ever. Read More » The bad news is that in many parts of the Asia-Pacific getting away on time remains a lottery, according to a new OAG report on the on-time performance (OTP) of the world’s airports and airlines.
Only four airports in the region, Tokyo Haneda, Sydney, Melbourne and Singapore Changi, rate in the top 20 airports for OTP in the large airport category, with Osaka in Japan topping the league in the small airport category.
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Among airlines, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Virgin Australia, Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand were among the top 20 carriers whose flights leave within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure times.
Tokyo Haneda, with an average OTP in 2015 of 91.25%, was the world’s best airport for OTP. Sydney was fifth, on 85.2%, followed by Melbourne (6), on 85.02%, and Singapore Changi was seventh at 84.75%.
JAL and ANA were third and fourth best in the world for OTP, with an average last year of 90.44% and 89.65%, respectively. Virgin Australia was 10th (88.56%), Qantas 14th (88.08%) and Air New Zealand 17th (87.33%).
The 2015 Punctuality League report, from UK-based air travel intelligence company OAG, said there has been a steady overall improvement in airport and airline OTP worldwide.
“Investment in new technology, improved operating procedures and most importantly, the skill and professionalism of the airline and airport operators, translates into the continual improvements we are reporting year on year,” said OAG executive vice president, John Grant.
But he pointed to some notable absences in the league table. “There are, as yet, no Chinese airports or airlines in the league. Performance is improving and we hope to include some in next year’s league,” he said.
Nor do any UK airports or Middle East carriers feature among the top 20 airports in the OAG report, but for different reasons, OAG said. Beijing and Hong Kong airports also missed out on a top 20 place.
Last year, the leading 20 large airports had 83.3% of flights arriving and departing within 15 minutes of their scheduled times, a slight improvement from 82.9% in 2014.
Low-cost carriers (LCCs) globally are working hard to improve punctuality. “Whilst still not achieving the same levels of on-time performance as mainline carriers, this year we see a significant improvement in the baseline of the LCC category, from 58% to 74%,” said Grant.
Brazil’s Azul topped the LCC rankings with a 91.03 OTP average in 2015. Five Asia-Pacific airlines ranked in the top 20: IndiGo Air (84.57%), Thai AirAsia (84.28%), Skymark Airlines (81.94%), Jetstar (80.10%) and AirAsia (79.25%).
