CIRIUM
29.12.2021 14:02:52 CET | Business Wire | Press release
Cirium, the aviation analytics firm, today released its On-Time Performance Review 2021, the global standard for airline and airport operational performance. Cirium awarded Delta Air Lines with the Platinum Award, recognizing the Atlanta-based carrier as the world’s best performing airline of the year for Operational Excellence.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211228005093/en/
The new annual award is presented to an airline with outstanding performance considering the complexity of the airline’s operation, volume of flights, diversity of its network and other key operational factors. The Platinum Award is based on a proprietary algorithm that considers an array of parameters and provides an output to compare airlines on a one-to-one basis as far as possible to ensure fairness, accuracy, and integrity.
“It was another challenging year for the aviation industry, however 2021 was certainly better than 2020, marking the start of the recovery,” said Jeremy Bowen, CEO, Cirium. “Delta Air Lines stood out this year when you consider the carrier’s size, network, and passenger delay minutes, as well as the number of completed flights. It’s an outstanding effort and achievement during a difficult period. All Nippon Airlines (ANA) is recognized as the most on-time airline in the world. Delta, ANA and the regional winners are congratulated.”
Cirium’s 2021 On-Time Performance Review reflects the second half of the year when flight volumes returned. Airlines globally operated nearly 25 million flights, a 10% increase from 2020, but still down 36% compared to 2019.
The report reviews the top performing airlines and airports globally and in specific categories.
Global Airlines
All Nippon Airways (ANA) is named as the most on-time airline in the Global category with 95% of its flights on time. The carrier was followed closely by Japan Airlines (JAL) with 94.1% — reflecting the high standard set by Japanese aviation when it comes to on-time performance. In third place was Aeroflot (91%), followed by LATAM (88.7%) and Delta Air Lines (87.8%).
North America
Delta Air Lines takes home the award for most on-time North American airline with 87.7% of its flights arriving on time. The carrier topped Alaska Airlines (81.7%) and American Airlines (80.5%).
Europe
Spanish IAG carriers — Vueling (92.1%), Iberia Express (91.8%) and Iberia (90.3%) — took three of the top five spots in the European category. Notably, Vueling has expanded internationally in 2021 with 65% of its third quarter capacity dedicated to international flights.
Asia Pacific
In the Asia Pacific, leading Japanese airlines ANA and JAL rank at the top. Airlines that operate a flight schedule consisting mainly of international flights wherein a state of near hibernation in Asia. Those carriers with a sizeable domestic market have fared better. This year’s Top 10 in Asia-Pacific is dominated by airlines with a significant domestic operation.
Latin America
Copa Airlines, an airline that was close to a complete shutdown at the start of the pandemic, is making a strong recovery and operating its expanding flight schedules at a very high level of on-time performance. The carrier won the Latin America category with 90.3% of its flights on time, followed by Aerolineas Argentinas (89.2%) and Azul (88.9%).
Middle East and Africa
South African Low-Cost Carrier, Safair, outperforms in the Middle East and Africa category as 96.4% of its flights were on time. The airline did not feature in the On-Time Performance Review 2019, however has expanded its international services to Mauritius — a holiday destination for South Africans — with focused operations. Royal Jordanian (89%) and Emirates (86.7%) rounded out the performers in the region.
Low-Cost Carriers
Solaseed Air, also a Japanese domestic operator and ANA affiliate, tops the Low-Cost Carrier category with 97.9% of its flights on time in 2021. The airline flies a network of 14 routes and has very nimble operations.
Top Global Airports
The report also identifies the world’s leading airports in on-time performance and Tokyo’s international airport, Haneda Airport, ranks as the most on-time airport globally. In 2021, 95.6% of the airport’s flights departed on time.
Cirium’s on-time performance reporting for airlines and airports is the longest-standing of such analysis in the industry, going back 13 years. Cirium resumed reporting in June 2021, as flight volumes returned, with regular monthly updates that help gauge the industry’s performance in getting passengers from point A to point B, on time. Cirium’s on-time performance analysis is based on flight data from over 600 sources of real-time flight information. For an airline to be on time, their flights must arrive at the airport gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time.
Click here to download the complimentary On-Time Performance Review 2021.
Ends
About Cirium
Cirium brings together powerful data and analytics to keep the world moving. Delivering insight, built from decades of experience in the sector, enabling travel companies, aircraft manufacturers, airports, airlines and financial institutions, among others, to make logical and informed decisions which shape the future of travel, growing revenues and enhancing customer experiences. Cirium is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The shares of RELX PLC are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.
For further information please follow Cirium updates on LinkedIn or Twitter or visit www.cirium.com .
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211228005093/en/
Link:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group Raises US$1.24 Billion for Largest Reforestation Fund to Date[1]28.4.2026 17:00:00 CEST | Press release
Milestone positions Latin American reforestation strategy as a leading model for scalable, high-integrity conservation and restoration—combining sustainable commercial reforestation with large-scale ecosystem conservation and restoration to target economic returns, climate and biodiversity gains, and rural community benefits. Conservation International serves as Impact Adviser for social and environmental outcomes. BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group (BTG Pactual TIG), one of the world’s largest timberland managers, today announced the close of fundraising for its Latin American Reforestation Strategy, reaching US$1.24 billion in commitments. This represents the largest reforestation fund closed to date,1 providing a model for large-scale reforestation and restoration that seeks to deliver durable climate impact, tangible benefits for rural communities, biodiversity outcomes, and sustainable commercial production. Global environmental organization Conservation International serves
Qatar Implements Relief Measures to Support Business Community28.4.2026 16:56:00 CEST | Press release
Qatar has activated a comprehensive package of support measures designed to maintain market stability and reinforce investor confidence amid evolving regional conditions. These measures, delivered through the nation’s foreign direct investment ecosystem, provide immediate financial, regulatory and operational relief to Qatar’s international business community. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260428904909/en/ Infographic highlights key relief measures implemented in Qatar to support the business community (Infographic: AETOSWire) H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Thani Al Thani, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of Invest Qatar, stated: “Qatar’s commitment to its business community is unwavering. As regional conditions continue to evolve, we remain fully focused on acting decisively to support companies operating in our market, safeguard business continuity and reinforce confidence. Our approach is grounded i
Dubai’s Medcare Hospital Becomes the World’s First to Treat an Adult Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Patient Outside the US28.4.2026 15:57:00 CEST | Press release
Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital (MRSH) in Dubai has become the world’s first hospital outside the USA, to offer a newly licensed intrathecal gene therapy - Itvisma, to adult patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). This one-time treatment was recently administered to a 22-year-old Egyptian patient, who was diagnosed at 18 months and confined to a wheelchair for most of his life. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260428038416/en/ Dr. Vivek Mundada with Medcare multidisciplinary medical team (Photo: AETOSWire) Last year, Medcare also became the first healthcare provider globally to administer the newly licensed Itvisma to a four-year-old international SMA patient. SMA is a rare neuromuscular disease that leads to progressive muscle weakness and loss of mobility, impacting movement, breathing, and swallowing. Until now, advancements in gene therapy for SMA were primarily restricted to children under the age o
Perpetual Atomics and QSA Global Fuel the World’s First Americium-Powered Radioisotope Heater Unit Core28.4.2026 15:48:00 CEST | Press release
In a landmark achievement for international space exploration, Perpetual Atomics, QSA Global, Inc. and the University of Leicester have completed the first historical production of an Americium-fuelled Radioisotope Heater Unit (RHU) full scale core containing ceramic form americium-241 pellets in a metal containment structure. This breakthrough builds on the successful americium pelleting work in late 2025 and on two decades of experience in leading the development of americium space nuclear power systems by the Leicester team. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260428027123/en/ QSA Global and Perpetual Atomics Team Born out of ENDURE, a European Space Agency (ESA) project, and part of a transatlantic collaboration, this achievement provides the steppingstones for an industrial pathway to deliver radioisotope power systems for spacecraft enabling these to survive and thrive in the most extreme environments in the
Alipay Launches AI Payment Processing Product to Help Businesses and OPCs Thrive in the Agentic Economy28.4.2026 15:47:00 CEST | Press release
New solution enables businesses to monetize services through AI agents Alipay today launched a new AI payment processing product that enables businesses, large and small, including One Person Companies (OPCs) in the Chinese mainland, to receive payments seamlessly when autonomous AI agents, including OpenClaw-type agents, purchase their services. This new product is being launched as AI agents are increasingly executing tasks on behalf of users, from booking travel and comparing prices, to allocating computing power and buying tokens. The product is available on Alipay’s website (https://aipay.alipay.com/). With Alipay’s AI payment processing product, small and medium-sized businesses do not need to build complex payment or settlement systems. By simply onboarding their monetizable services, businesses can reach more customers and receive payment each time an AI agent purchases their service. Bocha, an AI-powered search tool offering web search support for AI applications including Dee
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom
