South African carrier achieves world-leading 91.06% punctuality rating, reinforcing commitment to operational excellence and customer trust Johannesburg, South Africa – 8 January 2026– FlySafair has been recognised as the most punctual airline in the Middle East and Africa region for 2025, according to the annual Cirium On-Time Performance Review, the aviation industry’s gold standard for reliability metrics. The South African low-cost carrier achieved an exceptional 91.06% on-time arrival rate, outperforming major global airlines including Qatar Airways, Etihad, and Emirates. FlySafair achieved an on-time performance score that exceeded the global industry benchmark, outperforming even the world’s most punctual airline for the same period, AeroMexico, which recorded an on-time performance score of 90.02%.
Cirium’s rankings are based on more than 25 million data points from over 600 sources, making this accolade one of the most trusted benchmarks of operational performance worldwide. “While we have achieved this recognition previously, it carries particular significance this year,” said Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair. “With sustained challenges in air traffic management, fuel supply certainty, and airport infrastructure; including baggage handling systems that sit outside an airline’s direct control; maintaining reliable on-time performance has required extraordinary coordination and discipline.
This result is a credit to the dedication of our teams.” Since launching operations in 2014, FlySafair has consistently ranked among the world’s most punctual airlines, including multiple global awards for on-time performance. This sustained achievement underscores the airline’s long-term commitment to reliability and operational excellence. Operational Excellence Beyond Punctuality FlySafair’s achievement is part of a broader story of operational resilience and customer focus.
Read Full Article on Africa Hotspot
[paywall]
While the same number of airline companies contest the industry as there were pre-pandemic, FlySafair has grown significantly over the past 5 years. “Scale brings a different set of challenges,” added Gordon. “It’s easy to assume that size leads to complacency, but achieving this result under such demanding conditions is clear, empirical proof that FlySafair remains focused on delivering a reliable, high-quality service.
That discipline is essential to our future.” According to Cirium, FlySafair operated 98.9% of its scheduled flights, delivering one of the lowest cancellation rates in the Africa and Middle East region. “There is a strong correlation between customer satisfaction and on-time performance, although a range of factors can influence the overall experience,” said Gordon. “The key to delivering consistently strong results is an unwavering focus on the customer and on getting the fundamentals right.” He added that FlySafair maintained senior leadership presence throughout peak periods.
“During our busiest days, members of the C-Suite executive team were on the ground at airports and in operational control centres. Every flight presents a new set of variables, and sustained performance depends on continuous attention and discipline. This approach has underpinned our growth to date and will continue to guide the airline into the future.”
[/paywall]
