Azul Airlines has been recognized as the top global airline for on-time performance in 2022 by Cirium, a leading aviation analytics firm. Cirium’s annual On-Time Performance Review, which will be fully released later this week, is considered the gold standard for measuring airline and airport performance.
This past year presented several challenges for the aviation industry, particularly in Europe and North America, where many airlines and airports faced delays and operational disruptions. Additionally, many regions, especially Asia Pacific, were still navigating the aftermath of Covid restrictions. Despite these hurdles, a number of airlines and airports managed to perform exceptionally well.
For the second year in a row, Delta Air Lines received the Cirium Platinum Award for global operational excellence. This award not only considers on-time performance but also factors like operational complexity and the airline’s ability to minimize the impact of flight disruptions on passengers.
Azul emerged as the global leader for on-time performance. Regional winners include Delta Air Lines for North America, Thai AirAsia for the Asia Pacific, Oman Air for the Middle East and Africa, Azul for Latin America, and Iberia for Europe. StarFlyer was recognized as the top low-cost carrier, and Haneda Airport was named the top-performing airport globally. Detailed results and further analysis will be available in the full report to be published later this week.
Throughout 2022, airlines faced difficulties in predicting the sudden resurgence in travel demand. The aviation sector had experienced several false starts during the pandemic, with initial signs of recovery often thwarted by the emergence of new Covid variants. When significant recovery finally occurred this past year, the industry struggled with staffing shortages and capacity issues, leading to delays and cancellations. However, as airlines and airports ramped up their operations, hired more staff, and adjusted capacity, the situation improved markedly. The outlook for 2023 is promising for the aviation industry.
Cirium plans to continue its leadership in monitoring on-time performance worldwide as the industry navigates post-pandemic adjustments. The company’s data, sourced from over 600 real-time flight information sources, provides a neutral, third-party perspective. These sources include airlines, airports, global distribution systems, positional data, civil aviation authorities, air navigation service providers, proprietary data partnerships, and the internet. Cirium’s on-time performance data is further validated by an independent board of advisors, ensuring accuracy and unbiased representation.