In February 2025, 22 global airlines reported zero cancellations, with IndiGo standing out as a leader. The airline operated nearly 63,000 flights without a single cancellation, showcasing an impressive level of reliability, according to OAG data.
On-time performance (OTP) data measures the percentage of flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled time. Flights that are canceled are considered not on-time in the OAG analysis.
Safair, the regional airline from South Africa, continues to dominate with the highest OTP rate of 95.82% despite operating in a challenging environment with ATC controller shortages and limited navigation support at several airports. The airline also reported just two cancellations during the month.
In December 2024, Cirium, the aviation analytics company, awarded Safair the Cirium Award as the most on-time airline in the Middle East and Africa,
This month, there was movement within the top five global airlines, with Aeromexico (#2) and Austrian Airlines (#5) showing improvement in their OTP. Their gains came at the expense of two Japanese carriers: Fuji Dream Airlines (#8) and Star Flyer (#12).
Among large carriers (those operating 20,000 or more flights), British Airways ranked as the top performer, achieving an OTP of 86.95%. This represents a significant improvement from their January performance of 77.38%. Additionally, the airline saw a notable reduction in cancellations, down to 154 in February compared to 456 in January.
February’s operational challenges and extreme weather had a significant impact on North American carriers:
- American Airlines canceled 4,413 flights (2.66% of its schedule) and reported an OTP of 75.85%.
- Air Canada, facing severe disruptions, canceled 2,348 flights (8.36% of its schedule) and posted a lower OTP of 55.34%.
This data highlights the importance of operational resilience and reliability in the face of weather and staffing challenges in the aviation industry.
