The Most Delayed Airlines of 2019 (and the Most Punctual Ones)

Thomas Busson -

The year has come to an end and it's time to look back at air carriers' on-time performance to determine which were the most delayed airlines in 2019!

We've analyzed over 200 airlines to find out which are the least and most punctual airlines, based on data provided by Flightstats.

Here are the results:

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What Are the Most Delayed Airlines of 2019?

  1. Tunisair (TU): OTP 40.34%
  2. Aigle Azur (ZI): OTP 58.07%
  3. Saudi Arabian Airlines (SV): OTP 61.84%
  4. Egyptair (MS): OTP 61.86%
  5. TAP Portugal (TP): OTP 63.11%
  6. Thomas Cook Airlines (MT): OTP 64.90%
  7. Air Algérie (AH): OTP 64.90%
  8. El Al (LY): OTP 66.15%
  9. TUI Airways (TOM): OTP 66.31%
  10. Air Canada Rouge (ROU): OTP 69.68%
  11. Air Canada (AC): OTP 70.17%
  12. Air China (CA): OTP 70.32%
  13. Hainan Airlines (HU): OTP 71.61%
  14. Sichuan Airlines (3U): OTP 72.04%
  15. Icelandair (FI): OTP 72.31%
  16. Asiana Airlines (OZ): OTP 72.33%
  17. Kenya Airways (KQ): OTP 72.47%
  18. Vietnam Airlines (VN): OTP 72.59%
  19. Adria Airways (JP): OTP 72.89%
  20. Condor (DE): OTP 73.61%

Some of these were already among the most delayed airlines last year: Tunisair, TAP Portugal, Icelandair, Egyptair, or Aigle Azur, are becoming the infamous recurring airlines sitting at the bottom of the ranking of the most punctual airlines in the world.

How does the bottom of the ranking compare to the 2018 edition?

(Note: this being a ranking of the most delayed airlines, rank #1 is therefore the worst one)

Rank Airline OTP 2019 OTP 2018 Difference
#1 Tunisair 40.34% 40.56% -0.22
#2 Aigle Azur 58.07% 64.72% -6.65
#3 Saudia 61.84% 71.36% -9.52
#4 Egyptair 61.86% 64.24% -2.38
#5 TAP Portugal 63.11% 61.71% +1.4
#6 Thomas Cook Airlines 64.90% 64.33% +0.57
#7 Air Algérie 64.90% N/A N/A
#8 El Al 66.15% 70.20% -4.05
#9 TUI Airways 66.31% 67.35% -1.04
#10 Air Canada Rouge 69.68% 68.01% +1.67
#11 Air Canada 70.17% 68.77% +1.4
#12 Air China 70.32% 70.32% +/-0
#13 Hainan Airlines 71.61% 70.38% +1.23
#14 Sichuan Airlines 72.04% N/A N/A
#15 Icelandair 72.31% 62.23% +10.08
#16 Asiana Airlines 72.33% 67.55% +4.78
#17 Kenya Airways 72.47% 76.73% -4.26
#18 Vietnam Airlines 72.59% 77.52% -4.93
#19 Adria Airways 72.89% N/A N/A
#20 Condor 73.61% 66.96% +6.65

Overall, while the on-time performance of the airlines at the very bottom of the ranking was worse than it already was in 2018, the punctuality of the "least worst" of those delayed airlines has improved.

Among other noteworthy insights:

  • Tunisair succeeding in doing even worse than the previous year and remains the only airline in the world with more delayed flights than on-time ones.
  • Icelandair registered the biggest improvement of the lot, with an on-time performance jumping over 10 points compared to 2018
  • Air Canada, one of the largest airlines in the world, remains at the bottom of the ranking despite minor improvements to the punctuality of its flights in 2019

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What are the Most Punctual Airlines of 2019?

  1. Aeroflot (SU): OTP 89.61%
  2. LATAM (LA): OTP 86.81%
  3. ANA (NH): OTP 86.34%
  4. Singapore Airlines (SQ): OTP 85.59%
  5. Iberia (IB): OTP 85.21%
  6. South African Airways (SA): OTP 84.81%
  7. SriLankan Airlines (UL): OTP 84.73%
  8. Delta Air Lines (DL): OTP 84.51%
  9. Japan Airlines (JL): OTP 84.35%
  10. Air New Zealand (NZ): OTP 82.81%
  11. Qatar Airways (QR): OTP 82.32%
  12. Garuda Indonesia (GA): OTP 82.32%
  13. Alitalia (AZ): OTP 82.23%
  14. Aerolineas Argentinas (AR): OTP 82.04%
  15. Air France (AF): OTP 82.02%
  16. Air Europa (UX): OTP 81.92%
  17. Spirit Airlines (NK): OTP 81.46%
  18. S7 Airlines (S7): OTP 81.44%
  19. Emirates (EK): OTP 81.06%
  20. Korean Air (KE): OTP 80.69%

Many of the most punctual airlines of 2019 were already at the top of the ranking last year, like Qatar Airways, ANA, Japan Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spirit Airlines, and Iberia.

Rank Airline OTP 2019 OTP 2018 Difference
#1 Aeroflot 89.61% N/A N/A
#2 LATAM 86.81% 79.60% +7.21
#3 ANA 86.34% 85.26% +1.08
#4 Singapore Airlines 85.59% 83.53% +2.06
#5 Iberia 85.21% 82.17% +3.04
#6 South African Airways 84.81% 82.23% +1.98
#7 SriLankan Airlines 84.73% 80.65% +4.08
#8 Delta Air Lines 84.51% 84.33% +0.18
#9 Japan Airlines 84.35% 85.21% -0.86
#10 Air New Zealand 82.81% 78.46% +4.35
#11 Qatar Airways 82.32% 85.93% -3.61
#12 Garuda Indonesia 82.32% N/A N/A
#13 Alitalia 82.23% 83.48% -1.25
#14 Aerolineas Argentinas 82.04% 82.79% -0.75
#15 Air France 82.02% 76.06% +5.96
#16 Air Europa 81.92% 80.21% +1.71
#17 Spirit Airlines 81.46% 82.26% -0.8
#18 S7 Airlines 81.44% N/A N/A
#19 Emirates 81.06% 81.90% -0.84
#20 Korean Air 80.69% 73.13% +7.56

Here again, the top of the ranking seems to have got even more punctual, while the "worst-among-the-best" airlines experienced a slight reduction in punctuality in 2019.

Some key insights:

  • Russian airline Aeroflot makes a sensational entrance in the ranking by securing the top spot and title of most punctual airline: 89.61% of its flights arrived on time in 2019, close to 2 points more than the challenger
  • LATAM and Korean Airlines registered the biggest increases in punctuality among the top airlines, each with a growth of over 7 points compared to 2018
  • US airlines are underrepresented, with only two airlines among the 20 most punctual air carriers in the world

Note that this ranking only takes into account global airlines, not regional ones.

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