Etihad Airways, an Abu Dhabi-based airline, has been named the most punctual airline in the Middle East and one of the most reliable worldwide by global air travel data provider, Official Airline Guide (OAG).
Overall, Etihad Airways ranked 19th in OAG’s Punctuality League 2023, which rates the performance of airlines based on arrival date. The OAG calculates punctuality as arriving within 15 minutes of the scheduled time.
Etihad Airways achieved an on-time performance (OTP) of 81.14% and had a cancellation rate of only 0.55%. The Etihad Airways Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mohammed Al Bulooki, remarked that the airline is committed to delivering on time, and will continue to strive for reliability with the help of technology and innovation.
Emirates, a Dubai-based airline, ranked just behind Etihad Airways at 20th. The airline scored 81.13% for OTP and had a cancellation rate of 0.2%.
At the top of the league, Garuda Indonesia ranked 1st with an OTP of 95.63%, followed by South African low-cost airline, Safair (OTP of 95.3%), and German low-cost carrier, Eurowings (OTP of 95.26%). Regionally, Gulf Air scored 79.92%, Qatar Airways scored 77.5% and Saudia scored 65.63%.
OAG also ranked airports in its study, based on both departures and arrivals. Japanese airports dominated the top 10, with seven entries. Osaka International Airport was named the most punctual airport in the world, with 91.45% of flights arriving and departing on time.
Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad’s home base, was also among the top five most punctual airports in the Middle East.
