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Summary—June 2021

For June 2021, on time performance over all routes operated by participating airlines (Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, Regional Express, Virgin Australia and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines) averaged 84.0 per cent for on time arrivals and for on time departures. The cancellation rate for the month was 24.5 per cent. Travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the highest number of cancelled flights (9 406) recorded since OTP reporting commenced in November 2003. The equivalent figures for June 2020 were 89.2 per cent for on time arrivals, 86.0 per cent for on time departures and 2.5 per cent for cancellations.

This month's on time arrivals figure was higher than the long term average performance for all routes (82.3 per cent) and the on time departures figure was also higher than the long term average (83.6 per cent). The rate of cancellations was significantly higher than the long term average of 1.8 per cent.

The Virgin Australia network (Virgin Australia and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines combined operations) recorded 85.9 per cent for on time arrivals while the Qantas network (Qantas and QantasLink combined operations) recorded 82.8 per cent. Virgin Australia achieved the highest on time arrivals among the major domestic airlines at 86.4 per cent followed by Qantas at 84.8 per cent and Jetstar at 83.0 per cent. Of the regional airlines, Regional Express recorded 86.1 per cent for on time arrivals, followed by QantasLink at 81.5 per cent and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines at 76.6 per cent.

The Qantas network recorded 84.1 per cent for on time departures while the Virgin Australia network recorded 83.6 per cent. Qantas achieved the highest level of on time departures among the major domestic airlines for June 2021 at 87.4 per cent, followed by Virgin Australia at 83.8 per cent and Jetstar at 80.8 per cent. Of the regional airlines, Regional Express recorded 86.9 per cent for on time departures, followed by QantasLink at 82.0 per cent and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines at 79.6 per cent.

Jetstar recorded the highest percentage of cancellations (at 39.7 per cent) during the month, followed by Virgin Australia (at 31.0 per cent), Qantas (at 29.1 per cent), QantasLink (at 13.5 per cent), Regional Express (at 11.1 per cent) and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (at 1.3 per cent).

Airlines' on time performance varies across the routes they serve. Individual route data by specific airline for 58 routes are shown on pages 9-20.

Of the 58 routes which met the criteria for on time performance reporting in June 2021, the Melbourne-Sydney route had the highest percentage of on time arrivals (94.1 per cent) and the Brisbane-Mount Isa route had the highest percentage of on time departures (100.0 per cent). The Darwin-Perth route had the lowest percentage of on time arrivals (38.9 per cent) and the Darwin-Brisbane route had the lowest percentage of on time departures (34.4 per cent). 

Cancellations were highest on the Melbourne-Perth route at 72.6 per cent, followed by the Melbourne-Sydney and Perth-Melbourne routes at 71.7 per cent, the Sydney-Melbourne route at 71.5 per cent, the Melbourne-Adelaide route at 70.2 per cent and the Adelaide-Melbourne route at 69.9 per cent.

Newman Airport recorded the highest percentage of on time arrivals (93.4 per cent) and Newcastle Airport recorded the highest percentage of on time departures (89.2 per cent). Alice Springs Airport recorded the lowest percentage of on time arrivals (57.6 per cent) and Darwin Airport recorded the lowest percentage of on time departures (49.5 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 June 2021

Figure 1: Total Industry On Time Performance by month from June 2018