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Summary—April 2022

For April 2022, on time performance over all routes operated by participating airlines (Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, Rex Airlines, Virgin Australia and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines) averaged 63.6 per cent for on time arrivals and 62.2 per cent for on time departures. The cancellation rate for the month was 4.1 per cent. These are the worst on time performance figures recorded since recording commenced in November 2003. This month’s figures were impacted by weather related events, congestion (highest number of Sectors Flown since the commencement of COVID-19) and other COVID-19 related issues. The equivalent figures for April 2021 were 85.2 per cent for on time arrivals, 83.7 per cent for on time departures and 2.9 per cent for cancellations.

This month’s on time arrivals figure was significantly lower than the long term average performance for all routes (82.2 per cent) and the on time departures figure was also significantly lower than the long term average (83.5 per cent). The rate of cancellations was higher than the long term average of 2.0 per cent.

The Virgin Australia network (Virgin Australia and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines combined operations) recorded 65.8 per cent for on time arrivals while the Qantas network (Qantas and QantasLink combined operations) recorded 60.8 per cent. Virgin Australia achieved the highest on time arrivals among the major domestic airlines at 65.6 per cent followed by Jetstar at 59.2 per cent and Qantas at 58.7 per cent. Of the regional airlines, Rex Airlines recorded 73.6 per cent for on time arrivals, followed by Virgin Australia Regional Airlines at 69.1 per cent and QantasLink at 62.4 per cent.

The Virgin Australia network recorded 62.8 per cent for on time departures while the Qantas network recorded 60.1 per cent. Virgin Australia achieved the highest level of on time departures among the major domestic airlines for April 2022 at 62.7 per cent, followed by Qantas at 57.7 per cent and Jetstar at 55.2 per cent. Of the regional airlines, Rex Airlines recorded 76.4 per cent for on time departures, followed by Virgin Australia Regional Airlines at 64.2 per cent and QantasLink at 62.0 per cent.

QantasLink recorded the highest percentage of cancellations (at 5.4 per cent) during the month, followed by Qantas (at 5.0 per cent), Jetstar (at 4.9 per cent), Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (at 3.2 per cent), Virgin Australia (at 3.1 per cent) and Rex Airlines (at 1.1 per cent).

Airlines’ on time performance varies across the routes they serve. Individual route data by specific airline for 57 routes are shown on pages 9-20.

Of the 57 routes which met the criteria for on time performance reporting in April 2022, the Karratha-Perth route had the highest percentage of on time arrivals (88.9 per cent) and the Adelaide-Port Lincoln route had the highest percentage of on time departures (84.7 per cent). The Launceston-Melbourne route had the lowest percentage of on time arrivals (37.0 per cent) and the Melbourne-Perth route had the lowest percentage of on time departures (32.4 per cent). 

Cancellations were highest on the Ballina-Sydney route at 14.0 per cent, followed by the Sydney-Ballina route at 12.7 per cent, the Melbourne-Sydney route at 11.3 per cent, the Sydney-Melbourne route at 11.1 per cent and the Newman-Perth route at 9.7 per cent.

Emerald Airport recorded the highest percentage of on time arrivals (86.6 per cent) and Port Lincoln Airport recorded the highest percentage of on time departures (84.1 per cent). Mildura Airport recorded the lowest percentage of on time arrivals (49.7 per cent) and Alice Springs Airport recorded the lowest percentage of on time departures (43.4 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 April 2022

Figure 1: Total Industry On Time Performance by month from April 2019