Have you ever been at the airport waiting for your flight back home, and last minute, you get a notification that it was delayed by 2 hours? Yup, been there. It’s a hassle and a setback in plans, but maybe Malaysian-born airlines don’t always fall in this category.
Based on a recent posting by Seasia Stats on Instagram shows that AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines hold a significant ranking in the most on-time airlines in Southeast Asia. AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines held 5th and 6th place, respectively, while Garuda Indonesia stole the top rank.
Cited from OAG, it is reported that AirAsia recorded a 79.19% punctuality performance while Malaysia Airlines recorded a 76.54%, placing both airlines in the 56th and 73rd world ranks, respectively. The spotlight remained on Garuda Indonesia, holding the top spot in Southeast Asia and world rankings, with a recorded 98.39% on-time performance, while Philippine Airlines held the 18th spot, recording an 86.67% punctuality.
Despite holding two places in Southeast Asia for the most punctual airlines, netizens had mixed reactions in the comments, with most not agreeing with the current standings. Instagram user @/el.jefe.shaq commented, “AirAsia is shocking, they should be last”, hinting that the low-budget might not always be the most punctual option. Other netizens questioned why Singapore Airlines (SQ) was not in the ranking despite its popularity among travellers. Instagram user @/bogie.deguia commented, “I doubt your data. Took 4 flights with Philippine Airlines (PAL) this year, not one on time. I also took 4 flights with SQ this year and only one was late”.
A quick search on the OAG on-time performance data shows that no Singapore-based airlines were included in the ranking, raising suspicions over how the data was collected. What do you think about the current performance rankings of these airlines? Should SQ be included?
Alyssa Gabrielle contributed to this article
