Airline On Time Performance Statistics —Monthly

Summary — August 2023

For August 2023, on time performance over all routes operated by participating airlines (Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, Rex Airlines, Skytrans, Virgin Australia and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines) averaged 72.5 per cent for on time arrivals and 73.2 per cent for on time departures. The cancellation rate for the month was 3.8 per cent. The equivalent figures for August 2022 were 68.5 per cent for on time arrivals, 68.8 per cent for on time departures and 3.2 per cent for cancellations.

This month’s on time arrivals figure was significantly lower than the long term average performance for all routes (81.3 per cent) and the on time departures figure was also significantly lower than the long term average (82.4 per cent). The rate of cancellations was higher than the long term average of 2.2 per cent.

The Qantas network (Qantas and QantasLink combined operations) recorded 74.1 per cent for on time arrivals while the Virgin Australia network (Virgin Australia and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines combined operations) recorded 67.4 per cent. Qantas achieved the highest on time arrivals among the major domestic airlines at 72.7 per cent followed by Jetstar at 71.7 per cent and Virgin Australia at 67.7 per cent. Of the regional airlines, Rex Airlines recorded 77.9 per cent for on time arrivals, followed by QantasLink at 75.0 per cent, Skytrans at 72.2 per cent and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines at 57.9 per cent.

The Qantas network recorded 75.2 per cent for on time departures while the Virgin Australia network recorded 68.0 per cent. Qantas achieved the highest level of on time departures among the major domestic airlines for August 2023 at 73.9 per cent, followed by Jetstar at 69.8 per cent and Virgin Australia at 68.4 per cent. Of the regional airlines, Rex Airlines recorded 80.0 per cent for on time departures, followed by QantasLink at 76.0 per cent, Skytrans at 71.9 per cent and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines at 55.4 per cent.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines recorded the highest percentage of cancellations at 9.5 per cent during the month, followed by Skytrans at 8.6 per cent, Virgin Australia at 4.7 per cent, QantasLink at 4.4 per cent, Qantas at 3.4 per cent, Jetstar at 2.9 per cent and Rex Airlines at 1.8 per cent.

Airlines’ on time performance varies across the routes they serve. Individual route data by specific airline for 62 routes are shown on pages 9-21.

Of the 62 routes which met the criteria for on time performance reporting in August 2023, the Brisbane-Mount Isa route had the highest percentage of on time arrivals (94.1 per cent), while the Adelaide-Port Lincoln route had the highest percentage of on time departures (89.2 per cent). The Sunshine Coast-Melbourne route had the lowest percentage of on time arrivals (50.0 per cent), while the Darwin-Perth route had the lowest percentage of on time departures (44.1 per cent).

Cancellations were highest on the Canberra-Sydney route at 11.0 per cent, followed by the Sydney-Canberra route at 10.8 per cent, the Melbourne-Sydney route at 9.5 per cent and the Sydney-Melbourne route at 9.3 per cent.

Mount Isa Airport recorded the highest percentage of on time arrivals (94.1 per cent) and Port Lincoln Airport recorded the highest percentage of on time departures (88.7 per cent). Perth Airport recorded the lowest percentage of on time arrivals (61.1 per cent) and Broome Airport had the lowest percentage of on time departures (47.9 per cent). These figures only refer to reported routes and do not cover all flights at these airports.

Table 1: Total Industry On Time Performance for August 2023

Reporting Airlines Sectors Scheduled Arrivals On Time % Departures On Time % Cancellations %
Jetstar 6,919 71.7 69.8 2.9
Qantas - all QF designated services 21,132 74.1 75.2 4.0
Rex Airlines 6,270 77.9 80.0 1.8
Skytrans 370 72.2 71.9 8.6
Virgin Australia - all VA designated services 12,249 67.4 68.0 4.9
All Airlines 46,940 72.5 73.2 3.8
Individual operating entities
Qantas 8,210 72.7 73.9 3.4
QantasLink 12,922 75.0 76.0 4.4
Virgin Australia 11,806 67.7 68.4 4.7
Virgin Australia Regional Airlines 443 57.9 55.4 9.5

Figure 1: Total Industry On Time Performance by month from August 2020

Total Industry On Time Performance by month from August 2023