Air NZ says it is getting more punctual as world’s most reliable airlines awarded

“It appears to have proactively managed those issues by adjusting its schedule, and keeping overall capacity flat, while also bringing in wet-leased capacity towards the end of the year,” Taylor said.

Air NZ dislodged Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) from second position in the Asia-Pacific.

Taylor said ANA faced similar fleet availability issues to those afflicting Air NZ.

Kate Boyer, Air New Zealand airports general manager, said the improved showing partly reflected a new scheduling strategy across the airline’s regional network.

She also said the airline had been rethinking schedules to better reflect the realities of operating at different airports.

Boyer said a better understanding of aircraft turn times – how long an aircraft was on the ground before its next flight – was also important.

She said the airline recognised turn times could vary greatly depending on the airport, how busy it was, and specific gates being used.

“For example, at Auckland Airport we know some gates require extra time for aircraft tugs to meet the aircraft, so we have allowed for that in the schedule.”

She said the airline aimed to be in the top five globally for on-time arrivals.

Worldwide, Aeromexico was most punctual, with Saudia second, and third place going to SAS (Scandinavian Airlines), headquartered in Sweden.

Aeromexico achieved more than 90% on-time arrival rates in the latest Cirium rankings. Photo / Jose Pablo Domingo, Unsplash

Azul Brazilian Airlines and Qatar Airways rounded out the top five.

In this context, on-time was defined as the percentage of flights departing or arriving within 15 minutes of schedule.

Aeromexico flights arrived on time 90.02% of the time last year, up from 86.7% last year.

“Aeromexico’s achievement reflects an organisation that has turned operational reliability into a meaningful and enduring strength,” Cirium chief marketing officer Mike Malik said.

Aeromexico’s fleet comprised 787-9 and 787-8 Dreamliners, Boeing 737 MAX and 737-80 aircraft, and the Embraer 190, a narrowbody twinjet.

Of airlines operating in New Zealand, Qatar Airways, Latam from Chile, and Delta Air Lines all made the global top 10.

Cirium said on-time performance was a critical performance indicator.

“It’s a foundational metric that impacts brand reputation, operational efficiency, and financial health.”

In Cirium’s airports category, Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in Chile was the top performer, with 87.04% on-time departures.

“Their performance reflects commitment to building world-class infrastructure that handles rapid growth without sacrificing efficiency,“ said Cirium chief executive Jeremy Bowen.

He said airlines in 2025 had to operate under increased pressures.

Bowen said those included serious air traffic control staffing shortages in North America and airspace closures in the Middle East.

Some of those closures were due to last year’s Israel-Iran war.

“Supply chain bottlenecks grounded new-generation aircraft for engine inspections just as demand surged,” Bowen added.

Cirium top-rated airlines, on-time performance:

Global: Aeromexico (Mexico)Most improved: Virgin Atlantic (UK)Asia-Pacific: Philippine Airlines (Philippines) North America: Delta (USA)Europe: Iberia Express (Spain)Africa and Middle East: Safair (South Africa)Latin America: Copa Airlines (Panama)Platinum winner: Qatar Airways (Qatar)

Airports, on-time performance:

Large: Santiago Arturo Merino Benitez (Chile)Medium: Panama City Tocumen (Panama)Small: Guayaquil Jose Joaquin de Olmedo (Ecuador)Platinum winner: Istanbul Airport (Turkey)

John Weekes is a business journalist covering aviation. He has previously covered consumer affairs, crime, politics and courts.

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