Cirium, a company that provides aviation data and insights, regularly publishes a report on the on-time performance (OTP) of airlines worldwide. In this report, they define “on-time” as flights that arrive at the gate within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time. They calculate the percentage of completed flights that meet this criterion as a measure of an airline’s punctuality.

Global Rankings

Avianca from Colombia secured the top spot as the most punctual airline in the world in June, boasting an impressive punctuality rate of 86.61%. Close behind were LATAM Airlines from Chile with an 86.54% rate and Qatar Airways with an 85% punctuality rate.

Regional Highlights

In North America, Alaska Airlines achieved an 80.33% punctuality rate, while in the Asia-Pacific region, All Nippon Airways from Japan stood out as the most punctual airline with an 84.29% punctuality rate. In South America, Copa Airlines from Panama excelled with an impressive 89.46% punctuality rate. Finally, in the Middle East and Africa, Oman Air claimed the top spot with a remarkable punctuality rate of 93.57%.

Europe Rankings

In June, the Polish national carrier, LOT, achieved an impressive punctuality rate of 82.72% after successfully completing 8,582 flights. Meanwhile, Norwegian Air Shuttle, recorded an 82.02% punctuality rate with a total of 7,602 operations. Iberia maintained its position in third place with a punctuality rate of 80.89% and a total of 13,774 flights.

Concerns about the actual punctuality

However, one notable concern that the report highlights is the practice of airlines padding their scheduled flight times. Padding involves adding extra time to the actual flight duration in order to reduce the likelihood of delays and improve the airline’s on-time performance statistics. By doing so, airlines can present a better image of their punctuality even if the actual flight times are longer than necessary.

This practice of padding flight schedules can impact the accuracy of the on-time performance data, as it may not reflect the true efficiency of an airline’s operations. While a carrier may appear punctual based on the reported figures, passengers may still experience longer flights than necessary due to the additional time built into the schedule.

Despite this potential manipulation of data, the on-time performance report from Cirium remains a valuable tool for evaluating airlines’ punctuality, but it is essential to consider the possibility of padded schedules when interpreting the results. Passengers should be aware that the reported figures might not always reflect the actual time taken for flights and should consider other factors when choosing an airline for their travels.

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CAE has published its last report: 1.3 million new employees will be needed by 2032. Boeing and Airbus have done the same. According to the main stakeholders in the aviation industry, in the coming years, many jobs will be created due to the growth and expansion of airline carriers and airports. Pilots (Captains and first officers) will be needed, as well as flight attendants, mechanics and airport workers. But not only, because also many administrative and IT jobs will be needed from airlines to face the rapid growth.

CAE prevision for the 2032

“As commercial aviation approaches complete recovery and business aviation surpasses pre-pandemic levels, CAE’s Aviation Talent Forecast indicates that the demand for skilled personnel will continue to rise. To meet this growing demand over the next decade and beyond, the industry will need to collaborate and innovate to establish a consistent flow of highly trained professionals”, According to CAE, a global provider of training and simulation technologies for civil and military aviation, the industry has not only achieved recovery but is also experiencing a scarcity of personnel, which is crucial for maintaining essential operations in the near future. Precisely CAE forecasts the needs as following: in Commercial aviation a total need of 1.18 million new employees: 252,000 Pilots  328,000 Maintenance technicians, 599,000 Cabin crew, while in Business aviation 32,000 Pilots and 74,000 Maintenance technicians.

Airbus’ plans for the next 20 years

Regarding plane orders, the worldwide fleet of Airbus is projected to grow significantly, reaching 46,560 aircraft by 2042. Airbus’s estimates are based on a medium scenario with an expected traffic growth rate of 3.6%. However, this growth could face challenges due to factors like environmental regulations and energy supplies, which may act as headwinds. On the other hand, further liberalization and a “more stable world order” could provide tailwinds, supporting the projected growth.

The strongest growth is anticipated in the Asian market, with India leading the way as the world’s fastest-growing market, closely followed by China, according to Airbus’s forecast.

Boeing expansion

Based on Boeing’s forecast, the worldwide fleet of commercial jets is projected to reach a total of 48,600 units, encompassing a variety of aircraft types, such as widebodies, narrowbodies, regional models, and freighters. This estimate highlights the significant growth and expansion expected in the aviation industry in the coming years.

“The aviation industry has shown resilience by simplifying fleets, improving efficiency, and capitalizing on resurgent demand after unprecedented disruptions”, said the Boeing Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing, Brad McMullen.

General aviation, particularly private jets, will also experience growth, with the number of private jets rising from 22,000 to 26,000.

This is your opportunity to look for a job in aviation! Are you thinking about applying a job in aviation? If yes, which one? Let us know in the comments!

IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, recently gave a wake-up call to the aviation industry about the precarious state of airline profit margins. His revelations were part of a broader discussion at IATA’s 79th Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit, held in Istanbul, Türkiye.

The Current Profit Situation

This year, the aviation industry anticipates an astounding $803 billion in revenues. However, a shocking revelation is that only $9.8 billion of this colossal figure will translate into net profit. This means that, on average, the profit per passenger is a meager $2.25, an amount that can’t even cover the cost of a subway ticket in New York City. “Clearly, that level of profitability is not sustainable,” warned Walsh. Yet, he acknowledged the powerful recovery velocity, comparing it favorably to the $76 loss per passenger in 2020.

Identifying Major Hurdles

Walsh went on to elaborate the significant hurdles facing the industry. These include rising inflation, increasing operating costs, and enduring labor shortages. Along with these fundamental challenges, the industry is wrestling with specific pressures from OEM suppliers and oil companies. Walsh’s critique of OEM suppliers centered around their slow response to supply chain disruptions, which are both escalating costs and limiting aircraft deployment. “Airlines are beyond frustrated. A solution must be found,” Walsh expressed, reflecting the mounting exasperation within the industry.

Alongside the supply chain predicaments, Walsh pointed fingers at oil companies. He accused them of thriving at the airlines’ expense, noting that the crack spread for jet fuel was at record highs for most of 2022.

Walsh also didn’t hold back in his criticism of certain airports for shifting their operational inefficiency costs onto airlines. He singled out Schiphol Airport for its egregious 37% charges hike spread over three years—with a 12% increase this year alone. He also flagged concerns around South African airports and ATC’s shocking 63% charges increase proposal.

Despite the enormity of these challenges, Walsh applauded the airline industry for maintaining profitability. He ended his speech with a powerful call to arms for increased accountability and stricter economic regulation for monopoly suppliers. In light of his critique, calls for lighter regulation should be dismissed outright.

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The question that remains is: How can airlines and other stakeholders address these challenges to strengthen the airline profit margins? Your thoughts and opinions matter, share them in the comments section below.