Cirium CEO says it was a surprise that the most punctual global airline last year was "absolutely" unprecedented.

In 2024, Cirium reported that Aeromexico was the most punctual airline worldwide.

Nearly 87% of flights tracked arrived on schedule, meaning they landed within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival times.

The result was a complete surprise, according to Jeremy Bowen, CEO of Cirium, as he shared this on "Squawk Box Asia" on Friday.

"They've had a remarkable year," he said. "Their on-time performance has increased by 9%, making them go from outside the top 10 to No. 1."

According to Bowen, Aeromexico's success can be attributed to its company culture, investment in new equipment, and strong relationship with its hub at Mexico City International Airport, which was ranked fourth for on-time flights in Cirium's report. When both an airline and its hub perform well, it indicates that they are working effectively as a team, he explained.

According to a report published Thursday, Saudia, previously known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, improved its global ranking from 9th to 2nd place, with 86.35% of its flights arriving on time.

Delta Air Lines was named the "best global airline for operational excellence" for the fourth year in a row by Cirium, with a 2024 On-Time Performance Review. The airline placed third, followed by Latam Airlines and Qatar Airways, in terms of on-time performance. Delta is one of the largest airlines in the world.

In 2024, the percentage of on-time flight arrivals decreased by 0.5% compared to the previous year, according to Bowen.

The Crowd Strike software update, which unintentionally halted thousands of flights, particularly those operated by Delta Air Lines, negatively impacted the overall punctuality of the aviation industry.

He stated that there have been numerous unusual weather occurrences worldwide.

The airline industry's key health-check metric is on-time performance, which is crucial for passenger satisfaction and reducing costs due to delays. These delays can decrease crew morale, particularly among those who interact directly with travelers seeking answers for the delays.

Regional airline winners

Several regional airlines outperformed global airlines in terms of on-time performance, as analyzed in the report.

According to the report, South Africa's Safair airline, Oman Air, Copa Airlines, Panama's flag carrier, and Royal Jordanian Airlines all landed over 87% of their scheduled flights on time.

In Europe, Iberia Express and Iberia were ranked No. 1 and 2 in Cirium's 2023 on-time rankings.

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, the two largest airlines in Japan, have once again been ranked at the top of Asia-Pacific's list. However, their on-time percentages decreased last year from 2023, as reported by Cirium.

In North America, Alaska Airlines came in second place with a score of 79.25%, while Delta Air Lines took first place with a score of 80.93%.

Best airports for on-time performance

In 2024, Saudi Arabia's King Khalid International Airport had an on-time departure rate of over 86%, making it the top-ranked global airport, according to Cirium's annual report.

Flights that depart within 15 minutes of scheduled times are considered on-time at airports.

The report revealed that Tocumen International Airport in Panama (90.34%) was ranked highest among medium-sized airports, while Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport in Ecuador (91.38%) was named the world's most punctual small airport.

The lists

Here are Cirium's top five rankings in 2024:

Global airlines

1. Aeromexico — 86.7%
2. Saudi — 86.35%
3. Delta Air Lines — 83.46%
4. Latam Airlines — 82.89%
5. Qatar Airways — 82.83%

Europe

1. In 2023, Iberia Express (Spain) has the highest customer satisfaction rating of 84.69%.
2. Iberia (Spain) — 81.58%
3. Scandinavian Airlines — 81.4%
4. Vueling Airlines (Spain) — 81.2%
5. Norwegian — 79.23%

Middle East and Africa

1. Safair (South Africa) — 93.82%
2. Oman Air — 90.27% (No. 1 in 2023)
3. Royal Jordanian Airlines — 87.02%
4. Saudia — 86.35%
5. Kuwait Airways — 84.63%

Asia-Pacific

1. Japan Airlines — 80.9%
2. All Nippon Airways — 80.62% (No. 1 in 2023)
3. Singapore Airlines — 78.67%
4. Air New Zealand — 77.58%
5. Thai AirAsia — 77.46%

North America

1. Delta Air Lines — 83.46% (No. 1 in 2023)
2. United Airlines — 80.93%
3. Alaska Airlines — 79.25%
4. American Airlines — 77.78%
5. Southwest Airlines — 77.77%

Latin America

1. In 2023, Copa Airlines (Panama) will have an 88.22% market share, making it the top airline.
2. Aeromexico —86.7%
3. Caribbean Airlines — 85.47%
4. Gol Linhas Aereas (Brazil) — 84.09%
5. Aerolineas Argentinas — 83.06%

Low-cost carriers

1. Iberia Express (Spain) — 84.69%
2. Gol (Brazil) — 84.09%
3. Azul Airlines (Brazil) — 82.42%
4. Peach Aviation (Japan) — 82.32%
5. Vueling Airlines (Spain) — 81.2%