The FINANCIAL — oneworld is the best alliance for on-time flights, according to FlightStats, Inc., one of the leading airline industry data services and solutions technology companies, which has honoured oneworld with its Airline Alliance On-Time Performance Service Award for 2016.
It is the fourth time running that oneworld has been confirmed by FlightStats as the most punctual global airline alliance – which means oneworld has retained this premier on-time status since FlightStats started tracking alliance punctuality, according to oneworld.
This latest honour means that oneworld is now the current holder of six “best airline alliance” awards internationally, confirming its position as the world’s most highly prized alliance.
The FlightStats’ award is based on its analysis of tens of million flights operated by hundreds of airlines globally in the past year – which showed that oneworld members collectively maintained a more punctual operation across the 12 months than their counterparts in the other global airline groups.
FlightStats’ study of the 4.8 million oneworld flights in 2016 – operated by the alliance’s 14 member airlines and their 30 affiliated carriers, serving more than 1,000 destinations in 150 plus countries – showed 81.19 per cent of them arrived within 15 minutes of schedule.
oneworld members also took top honours FlightStats’ 2016 awards for individual airlines.
Iberia was ranked the most punctual mainline international airline, with 87.79 per cent of its 84,022 flights arriving on time – narrowly ahead of 2015’s winner Japan Airlines, with 87.33 per cent of its 206,806 flights landing on schedule.
Three other oneworld members also made it to the world’s Top 10 – Qatar Airways, TAM (now flying as LATAM) and Qantas – giving oneworld five of the world’s 10 most punctual mainline airlines.
Iberia topped the rankings for European mainline and network carriers, with Japan Airlines leading the list of Asia-Pacific airlines and Qatar Airways for the Middle East and Africa region.
Iberia Express, the Spanish airline’s regional subsidiary, which is a oneworld affiliate member, was the world’s most punctual low-cost carrier.
FlightStats says its awards are “designed to recognise those airlines and airports that demonstrate consistently high performance and deliver on their promise to get passengers to their destinations in a timely manner”. Its aggregates data from global sources including civil aviation authorities, airlines, airports and major airline reservations systems.
Other “best airline alliance” awards currently held by oneworld include:
Global Traveler magazine’s 2016 GT Tested Reader Survey – for the seventh year in a row.
Business Traveller’s 2016 Best Airline Alliance for the fourth year running.
Business Traveler North America’s 2016 Best in Business Travel Awards, for the second consecutive year.
World Travel Awards’ World’s Leading Airline Alliance 2016 for the 14th year running.
Premier Traveler’s Best of 2015 Awards – for the third year running.
