In the recently released 2023 On-Time Performance (OTP) Review by Cirium, an esteemed aviation analytics firm, two Indian airports have emerged as frontrunners in global punctuality rankings. Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) secured the second position, while Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) claimed the third spot.
Hyderabad RGIA achieved an impressive OTP of 84.42%, covering a substantial 168,426 flights throughout the year. Meanwhile, Bengaluru KIA closely followed with an OTP of 84.08%, managing an even higher volume of flights at 237,461. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in the United States clinched the top position with an OTP of 84.44%, asserting its dominance on both global lists.
In the medium airports category, Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport secured the ninth position with a commendable OTP of 83.91%. Topping this category was Osaka International Airport in Japan, boasting an exceptional OTP of 90.71%.
Within the Low-Cost Carriers (LCC) segment, IndiGo emerged as a strong contender, securing the eighth position with an OTP of 82.12%. Additionally, in the Asia Pacific segment, IndiGo claimed the fourth position. The LCC category was dominated by South Africa’s Safair, which recorded an outstanding OTP of 92.36%. Notably, Avianca Airlines, based in Bogota, Colombia, clinched the title of the most on-time global airline, with no Indian carriers making it to the global category.
Delving into specifics, Hyderabad RGIA managed a staggering 1.68 lakh flights in 2023, with an impressive 93.51% of them being tracked. The airport exhibited an on-time departure performance of 84.42% and an on-time arrival performance of 80.81%. Despite the high volumes, the average departure delay was recorded at 53 minutes. Servicing 82 routes with 30 airlines, RGIA also secured the second spot in the large airports category.
India’s aviation sector continues to soar, being the world’s third-largest and fastest-growing civil aviation market, registering almost 10% growth over the last decade. The number of aircraft has surged from around 400 in 2014 to 723 in 2023, and international passengers have witnessed a remarkable increase from 43 million to 64 million, representing a nearly 50% upswing. With a rise in air passenger traffic and the development of new airports, India’s aviation landscape is poised for continued growth and prominence on the global stage.
