FlySafair named most on-time airline in MEA 2025!

Aviation analytics firm Cirium has announced the results of its annual On-Time Performance Review, and South Africa’s low-cost carrier FlySafair has emerged as the most punctual airline in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region for 2025.

Based on Cirium’s extensive and independently verified data - sourced from more than 600 real-time global information feeds - FlySafair achieved an impressive 91.06% on-time arrival rate across 62,805 scheduled flights during 2025. This performance secured the airline the top position in the regional rankings, reinforcing its reputation for operational reliability and efficiency.

Another strong South African performer, Airlink, ranked fifth in the MEA region. The privately owned regional airline recorded an 84.47% on-time departure rate across 84,361 flights in 2025, underlining its consistency across an extensive domestic and regional network.

South African Airways (SAA), South Africa’s state-owned flag carrier, was placed eighth in the regional rankings. SAA achieved an on-time performance score of 81.26%, based on 24,461 flights operated during the year—marking continued operational stabilisation following its post-business-rescue recovery.

Cirium defines an on-time arrival as a flight reaching the gate within 14 minutes and 59 seconds of its scheduled arrival time. Airport punctuality is measured using the same 14:59-minute threshold for scheduled departures.

online flight booking on TravelComments.com >> 

 

Subscribe for updates:

Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly updates, border info, road alerts, and travel inspiration for Southern Africa.

 

South Africa: FlySafair named the most on-time airline in the Middle East and Africa region in 2024!

Aviation analytics company Cirium has announced the winner of its annual On-Time Performance Review. According to the company's set of extensive and unbiased data, derived from over 600 real-time information sources, South African regional low cost-carrier FlySafair has been named the most on-time airline in the Middle East and Africa region in 2024. According to Cirium, 93.82% of FlySafair's 57,272 scheduled flights in 2024 were arriving on schedule. Congratulations!
An on-time flight is defined as a flight that arrives within 15 minutes of the scheduled gate arrival. For an airport, it is defined as departing within 15 minutes of its scheduled departure.

online flight booking on TravelComments.com >>

South Africa: FlySafair named world's leading low-cost carrier 2023!

Aviation analytics company Cirium has announced the winner of its annual On-Time Performance Review. According to the company's set of extensive and unbiased data, derived from over 600 real-time information sources, South African regional low cost-carrier FlySafair delivered the second best on-time performance in the Middle East and Africa in 2023 and has been named the world's leading low-cost carrier 2023. The Cirium analysis for FlySafair showed an on-time arrivals percentage of 92.36% for 2023 (55,444 flights). Congratulations!
An on-time flight is defined as a flight that arrives within 15 minutes of the scheduled gate arrival. For an airport, it is defined as departing within 15 minutes of its scheduled departure.

online flight booking on TravelComments.com >>

South Africa: FlySafair is the second-most punctual airline worldwide!

According to OAG's annual Punctuality League, which reveals on-time performance rankings for airlines and airports, South African airline FlySafair is the second-most punctual airline in the world and Africa's most-punctual airline. The airline recorded an on-time performance (OTP) of 95.3% and a cancellation rate of 0.02% during 2022 (01 January 2022 - 31 December 2022), despite operating 47% more flights in 2022 than in 2019. No other Southern African is on the Top 10-list of the Middle East and Africa as well as the world's top-20 list.
OAG’s definition of on-time performance (OTP) is flights that arrive or depart within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival or departure times. Cancellations are included within the OTP calculations and are counted as late flights.

Middle East & Africa - Airlines by OTP 2022:

1. FlySafair OTP: 95.30% | Cancellation rate: 0.02%
2. Ethihad Airways OTP: 81.14% | Cancellation rate: 0.55%
3. Emirates OTP: 81.13% | Cancellation rate: 0.02%
4. Gulf Air OTP: 79.92% | Cancellation rate: 2.42%
5. Qatar Airways OTP: 77.50% | Cancellation rate: 0.34%
6. Ethiopian Airlines OTP: 76.73% | Cancellation rate: 0.04%
7. FLYNAS OTP: 68.25% | Cancellation rate: 1.65%
8. Saudi Arabian Airlines OTP: 65.63% | Cancellation rate: 1.72%
9. Oman Air OTP: 91.28% | Cancellation rate: 0.69%
10. Royal Jordanian OTP: 85.82% | Cancellation rate: 0.85%

online flight booking on TravelComments.com >>

South Africa's most punctual domestic airlines in March 2020!

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has published the on-time performance results of domestic airlines’ flying out of OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town, Durban's King Shaka International Airport (DUR) and Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) in Port Elizabeth in March 2020.
On-Time Performance is measured by comparing the actual off-block time (when aircraft pushes back) against the airline schedule time for a departing flight. The measurement is done in accordance with the IATA (International Airlines Transport Association) universal standard benchmark with considers a 15 minute deviation from the scheduled time as an on-time departure.

OR Tambo International Airport (JNB), Johannesburg - 15 Min on Time Performance March 2020

• Airlink - 95.51% (February 94.85%)
• FlySafair - 94.44% (February 92.16%)
• British Airways Domestic - 90.97% (February 85.77%)
• South African Airways - 87.83% (February 85.98%)
• Kulula.com - 78.77% (February 74.06%)
• Mango - 68.37% (February 74.39%)
• CemAir - 66.67% (February 70.00%)
• SA Express - 59.93% (February 64.64%)

Cape Town International Airport (CPT), Cape Town - 15 Min on Time Performance March 2020

• Airlink - 96.10% (February 94.90%)
• FlySafair - 96.03% (February 93.71%)
• British Airways Domestic - 94.19% (February 87.18%)
• South African Airways - 91.71% (February 86.18%)
• Kulula.com - 84.02% (February 82.16%)
• Mango - 76.21% (February 77.98%)
• SA Express - 75.00% (February 70.77%)
• CemAir - 63.64% (February 100.00%)

King Shaka International Airport (DUR), Durban - 15 Min on Time Performance March 2020

• South African Airways - 100.00% (February 87.28%)
• FlySafair - 92.41% (February 91.54%)
• British Airways Domestic - 89.87% (February 87.18%)
• Airlink - 89.00% (February 96.50%)
• Kulula.com - 82.36% (February 80.07%)
• Mango - 76.67% (February 83.35%)
• SA Express - 16.67% (February 33.33%)
• CemAir - 00.00% (Febuary --.--%)

Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), Port Elizabeth - 15 Min on Time Performance March 2020

• Airlink - 98.11% (February 94.89%)
• British Airways Domestic - 95.01% (February 89.81%)
• Flysafair - 94.78% (February 94.00%)
• Mango - 72.92% (February 81.03%)
• SA Express - 08.33% (February 25.00%)
• South African Airways - --.--% (February 84.91%) 

online flight booking on TravelComments.com >>

South Africa's most punctual domestic airlines in February 2020!

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has published the on-time performance results of domestic airlines’ flying out of OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town, Durban's King Shaka International Airport (DUR) and Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) in Port Elizabeth in February 2020.
On-Time Performance is measured by comparing the actual off-block time (when aircraft pushes back) against the airline schedule time for a departing flight. The measurement is done in accordance with the IATA (International Airlines Transport Association) universal standard benchmark with considers a 15 minute deviation from the scheduled time as an on-time departure.

OR Tambo International Airport (JNB), Johannesburg - 15 Min on Time Performance February 2020

• Airlink - 94.85% (January 96.06%)
• FlySafair - 92.16% (January 95.45%)
• South African Airways - 85.98% (January 85.83%)
• British Airways Domestic - 85.77% (January 85.50%)
• Mango - 74.39% (January 76.93%)
• Kulula.com - 74.06% (January 77.04%)
• CemAir - 70.00% (January 82.00%)
• SA Express - 64.64% (January 63.24%)

Cape Town International Airport (CPT), Cape Town - 15 Min on Time Performance February 2020

• CemAir - 100.00% (January 88.10%)
• Airlink - 94.90% (January 96.11%)
• FlySafair - 93.71% (January 95.70%)
• British Airways Domestic - 87.18% (January 84.52%)
• South African Airways - 86.18% (January 84.62%)
• Kulula.com - 82.16% (January 81.55%)
• Mango - 77.98% (January 82.85%)
• SA Express - 70.77% (January 68.00%)

King Shaka International Airport (DUR), Durban - 15 Min on Time Performance February 2020

• Airlink - 96.50% (January 97.62%)
• FlySafair - 91.54% (January 93.64%)
• South African Airways - 87.28% (January 86.69%)
• British Airways Domestic - 87.18% (January 85.47%)
• Mango - 83.35% (January 82.74%%)
• Kulula.com - 80.07% (January 77.91%)
• SA Express - 33.33% (January 60.61%)

Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), Port Elizabeth - 15 Min on Time Performance February 2020

• Airlink - 94.89% (January 95.95%)
• Flysafair - 94.00% (January 95.72%)
• British Airways Domestic - 89.81% (January 92.05%)
• South African Airways - 84.91% (January 81.90%)
• Mango - 81.03% (January 87.64%)
• SA Express - 25.00% (January 47.22%)

online flight booking on TravelComments.com >>