MANILA, Philippines — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) remains unruffled by the surge in holiday air travel, maintaining its standing as one of the most punctual operators in Asia and the Pacific throughout November.
According to Cirium’s November On-Time Performance Monthly Report, PAL secured the third spot as one of the most punctual carriers in the region, achieving a punctuality rate of 84.27 percent.
PAL successfully executed 98.65 percent of its 9,192 scheduled flights for the month.
Low-cost carrier AirAsia surpassed regional competitors, securing the top on-time rate of 86.68 percent, while Vietnam Airlines achieved the second-best figure at 86.28 percent.
Right behind PAL, Peach Aviation ranked fourth with a punctuality rate of 81.25 percent, while All Nippon Airways placed fifth with 81.14 percent. Thai AirAsia and Cathay Pacific came sixth and seventh, posting on-time scores of 79.8 percent and 79.48 percent, respectively.
Air New Zealand, Garuda Indonesia and Japan Airlines closed the list of most punctual operators in Asia and the Pacific in November.
However, the region saw the only increase in flight cancellations across the world – a 15 percent spike to 36,316 in November, from 31,664 in October.
Cirium said every region, except Asia and the Pacific, minimized flight disruptions in November, hinting that airlines are ready to serve the Christmas demand for air travel.
Likewise, Cirium noted that North American carriers dominated the list of most on-time airlines after serving record passenger volumes during Thanksgiving.
Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines were hailed by Cirium as the most punctual in the world.
For PAL, this marks the fourth consecutive month that it was listed as one of the best in Asia and the Pacific for flight punctuality. The airline missed it for three consecutive months, from May to July, as a consequence of supply chain disruptions that forced it to ground several aircraft.
At that time, PAL’s on-time rate was hurt by the number of flight cancellations and delays that it had to endure in the absence of some of its jets.
For 2024, PAL plans to lessen flight disruptions by acquiring new aircraft to expand its fleet.