Mexican airline Aeromexico claimed the top spot for on-time arrivals in 2024, as revealed in an annual ranking by aviation-data provider Cirium. Nearly 87% of Aeromexico flights arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled times, showcasing its industry-leading commitment to punctuality.
Trailing closely behind, Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, secured the second position globally with an on-time performance rate of just over 86%. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, despite experiencing a major computer outage in July that led to thousands of flight cancellations, achieved an impressive 83% on-time rate, ranking third worldwide.
United Airlines and Alaska Airlines were the next-best performers among U.S. carriers, with on-time rates of nearly 81% and just over 79%, respectively. On the other end of the spectrum, WestJet, Air Canada, and budget airline Frontier recorded the lowest punctuality rates among North American airlines, each falling below 72%.
Cirium also highlighted regional champions, naming Japan Airlines, Iberia Express, Panama’s Copa Airlines, and South African low-cost carrier FlySafair as standout performers in their respective regions. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, earned the distinction of best airport for on-time departures, with nearly 87% of flights leaving on schedule. Peru’s Jorge Chavez International Airport and Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport followed closely with over 84% of flights departing on time.
Cirium CEO Jeremy Bowen acknowledged the challenges airlines faced in 2024, including extreme weather conditions and the summer technology outage, which added strain to operations. He commended the winning airlines for excelling under these circumstances and ensuring timely arrivals for passengers.
Delta’s performance was particularly notable given the setbacks caused by a global technology outage linked to a faulty software upgrade from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. The incident reportedly cost Delta $500 million and prompted a lawsuit against CrowdStrike. Despite these disruptions, Delta demonstrated resilience, maintaining its status as the top U.S. airline for punctuality.
Source: Swifteradio.com
