The Australian Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) has released performance figures for Australian airlines in August 2023.
In this article we take a deeper look at the August data, analyzing the performance of major carriers like Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia, as well as regional players including Rex Airlines, QantasLink, and Skytrans.
On-Time Performance Overview
For August 2023, the overall on-time performance of participating airlines, which include Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, Rex Airlines, Skytrans, Virgin Australia, and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines, averaged 72.5 percent for on-time arrivals and 73.2 percent for on-time departures.
Comparing this with August 2022, we observe growth in performance: on-time arrivals increased from 68.5 percent to 72.5 percent, on-time departures from 68.8 percent to 73.2 percent.
The average cancellation rate for the month stood at 3.8 percent. Average number of flight cancellations also grew slightly from 3.2 percent in 2022 to 3.8 percent for August 2023.
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Deviations from Long-Term Averages
This month’s on-time arrivals figure was noticeably lower than the long-term average performance for all routes, which stands at 81.3 percent.
Similarly, the on-time departures figure also fell below the long-term average of 82.4 percent. The rate of cancellations, at 3.8 percent, exceeded the long-term average of 2.2 percent, highlighting the challenges faced by the aviation industry.
Airline-Specific Performance
On-Time Arrivals
Qantas Network: The combined operations of Qantas and QantasLink achieved an on-time arrivals rate of 74.1 percent.
Virgin Australia Network: Virgin Australia and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines combined operations recorded 67.4 percent for on-time arrivals.
Major Domestic Airlines: Among the major domestic airlines, Qantas secured the highest on-time arrivals rate at 72.7 percent, followed by Jetstar at 71.7 percent and Virgin Australia at 67.7 percent.
Regional Airlines: Rex Airlines led the regional airlines with an impressive on-time arrivals rate of 77.9 percent, followed by QantasLink at 75.0 percent, Skytrans at 72.2 percent, and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines at 57.9 percent.
On-Time Departures
Qantas Network: Qantas outperformed other airlines in on-time departures with a rate of 75.2 percent.
Virgin Australia Network: Virgin Australia achieved a 68.0 percent on-time departures rate.
Major Domestic Airlines: For August 2023, Qantas again led among major domestic airlines with an on-time departures rate of 73.9 percent, followed by Jetstar at 69.8 percent and Virgin Australia at 68.4 percent.
Regional Airlines: Rex Airlines excelled in on-time departures among regional carriers, recording 80.0 percent, with QantasLink at 76.0 percent, Skytrans at 71.9 percent, and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines at 55.4 percent.
Cancellations
Virgin Australia Regional Airlines reported the highest percentage of cancellations at 9.5 percent during the month.
This was followed by Skytrans at 8.6 percent, Virgin Australia at 4.7 percent, QantasLink at 4.4 percent, Qantas at 3.4 percent, Jetstar at 2.9 percent, and Rex Airlines at 1.8 percent.
Route-Specific Performance
Airlines’ on-time performance varies significantly across the routes they serve. Here are some noteworthy route-specific statistics:
The Brisbane-Mount Isa route had the highest percentage of on-time arrivals at an impressive 94.1 percent.
Conversely, the Sunshine Coast-Melbourne route had the lowest percentage of on-time arrivals at 50.0 percent.
The Adelaide-Port Lincoln route achieved the highest percentage of on-time departures at 89.2 percent.
On the other hand, the Darwin-Perth route experienced the lowest percentage of on-time departures at 44.1 percent.
Cancellations by Route
Cancellations were most prevalent on the Canberra-Sydney route at 11.0 percent, followed closely by the Sydney-Canberra route at 10.8 percent.
Other routes affected by cancellations included the Melbourne-Sydney route at 9.5 percent and the Sydney-Melbourne route at 9.3 percent.
Airport-Specific Performance
Notably, Mount Isa Airport recorded the highest percentage of on-time arrivals at 94.1 percent, while Port Lincoln Airport led in on-time departures with a rate of 88.7 percent.
Conversely, Perth Airport experienced the lowest percentage of on-time arrivals at 61.1 percent, and Broome Airport had the lowest percentage of on-time departures at 47.9 percent.
It’s essential to note that these figures pertain only to reported routes and do not encompass all flights at these airports.
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