OREANDA-NEWS. oneworld® is the best alliance for on-time flights, according to FlightStats, Inc., the leading airline industry data services and solutions technology company, which today presented oneworld with its Airline Alliance On-Time Performance Service Award for 2015. 

It is the third time running that oneworld has been confirmed by FlightStats as the most punctual global airline alliance – which means oneworld has retained this premier on-time status since FlightStats started tracking alliance punctuality.

This latest honour means that oneworld is now the current holder of an unprecedented eight of the 12 available leading “best airline alliance” awards internationally.

The FlightStats’ award is based on its analysis of tens of million flights operated by hundreds of airlines globally in the past year – which showed that oneworld members collectively maintained a more punctual operation across the 12 months than their counterparts in the other global airline groups. 

FlightStats’ analysis of the 4.8 million oneworld flights monitored in 2015 - operated by the alliance's 15 member airlines and their 30 affiliated carriers, serving more than 1,000 destinations in 150 plus countries - showed 80.97 per cent of them arrived within 15 minutes of schedule.

FlightStats Vice-President Airlines and Distribution Jim Hetzel said: “Congratulations to the oneworld alliance for their on-going commitment to operational excellence!”

oneworld CEO Bruce Ashby said: “oneworld aims to be the first choice alliance for frequent international travellers.  We and our member airlines know just how important it is to these customers in particular that flights depart and arrive on time, so it is gratifying that our on-time performance has been confirmed for the third year running as the best by FlightStats’ independent report.”

oneworld members also rated highly in FlightStats’ 2015 awards for individual airlines. 

Japan Airlines was ranked the most Major International Airline overall, and best in Asia-Pacific Major Airlines category, with 89.44 per cent of its 270,685 flights monitored arriving on time. 

Iberia was in second place in the Major International Airline global category, with 88.97 per cent of its 187,538 flights landing to schedule - which also made it the best major airline in Europe.

TAM Airlines and Qantas were also ranked in the Major International Airlines global Top 10, while Qatar Airways was the most punctual major airline from the Middle East and Africa.

oneworld affiliate member Iberia Express was the most punctual low-cost carrier globally for the second year running, with fellow oneworld affiliate NIKI also ranked in the low-cost carriers’ Top 10.

Two other oneworld members are not categorised by FlightStats in its major international airline rankings, but the agency’s analysis shows they recorded even better performances than its category winners – Finnair, with 93.13 per cent of its 107,499 monitored flights arriving on time, and S7 with 91.07 per cent of its 90.593 flights landing to schedule.

FlightStats says its awards are “designed to recognise those airlines and airports that demonstrate consistently high performance and deliver on their promise to get passengers to their destinations in a timely manner”.  Its aggregates data from global sources including civil aviation authorities, airlines, airports and major airline reservations systems.  For full details, see flightstats.com

Other “best airline alliance” awards currently held by oneworld include:

  • Skytrax’s World Airline Awards 2015 Best Airline Alliance, for the third year running.
  • Business Traveller’s 2015 Best Airline Alliance for the third year running.
  • Global Traveler magazine’s 2015 GT Tested Reader Survey – for the sixth year in a row.
  • Premier Traveler’s Best of 2015 Awards – for the third year running.
  • Business Traveler North America’s 2015 Best in Business Travel Awards, for the first time.
  • World Travel Awards’ World’s Leading Airline Alliance 2015 for the 13th year running.
  • Trazees’ Favourite Airline Alliance 2015 in its debut awards.

oneworld also holds both awards available to airline alliances for the quality of the wines served by its member airlines in-flight - Business Traveller’s Cellars in the Sky Award 2015 and Global Traveler’s Best Alliance Wines on the Wing Award 2015.