Avianca, Colombia’s national airline, has secured the title of the most punctual airline in 2023, according to aviation data and analytics provider Cirium. The Bogotá-based carrier clinched the top spot in global rankings, surpassing competitors such as Azul Airlines, Qatar, and Delta. In Cirium’s recently released On-Time Performance (OTP) Annual Review on January 2, 2024, Avianca led with an impressive punctuality rating of nearly 86%, closely contending with Brazil’s Azul Airlines.
Avianca’s achievement in punctuality is important, given the holding company’s financial woes over the past three years. Facing a severe cash crunch and competition from two budget-low-cost competitors (Viva and Ultra), the airline underwent a major corporate overhaul that included entering Chapter 11 with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, strategic measures such as rebranding, fleet downsizing, slot adjustments and adopting a S-M-L-XL pricing model on domestic and international routes, Avianca has emerged as the most punctual airline globally.
In Latin America, the top punctuality honor goes to Panama’s Copa Airlines, boasting an OTP rating of nearly 90%. Despite ranking as the second-most on-time carrier in the South America category, Avianca’s resilience and dedication to punctuality has been showcased by Cirium. Aerolineas Argentinas claimed the ninth position in the regional ranking.
Cirium’s comprehensive ranking, based on data from around 35 million flights annually, covers aspects ranging from airport performance to flight schedules. Avianca secured an 85.51% punctuality rating, leading the top 10 global list. Following closely were Azul Airlines (85.51%), Qatar (85.11%), Delta (84.72%), Iberia (94.38%), and LATAM (84%).
In addition to its punctuality recognition, the Avianca Group announced Frederico Pedreira as the new CEO, succeeding Adrian Neuhauser. Neuhauser, who played a crucial role in the airline’s restructuring as CFO in 2019 before becoming CEO in 2021, will now take on the role of CEO at Abra Group, an airline group platform affiliated with Avianca and GOL
