Air India has become the only Indian airline to make it to the global top five for punctuality, ranking fourth in viation analytics firm Cirium's June 2026 On-Time Performance Report.
The Indian airline secured the fourth position. The airline recorded an on-time arrival rate of 86.85 per cent across 15,135 flights tracked during the month, placing it among the world's top-performing carriers for schedule reliability. It also posted an on-time departure rate of 86.23 per cent and a completion factor of 99.7 per cent, indicating that nearly all scheduled flights operated as planned.
Saudi Arabia's Saudia topped the global rankings with an on-time arrival rate of 92.38%, followed by South Korea's Korean Air at 88.56%. Mexico's Aeromexico claimed the third spot with an on-time arrival performance of 86.94%, narrowly ahead of Air India.
Air India said the ranking reflects its efforts to improve operational efficiency across its network.
A statement by the airlines said that the ranking reflects, “Air India’s sustained investments in operational resilience, improved network planning, and enhanced execution across its domestic and international operations.”
Here are the top 10 global performers for the month of June, according to Cirium report
| Rank | Airline | On-Time Arrival | Tracked Flights | Completion Factor | Total Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saudia (SV) | 92.38% | 99.93% | 99.68% | 13,350 |
| 2 | Korean Air (KE) | 88.56% | 99.88% | 99.83% | 10,722 |
| 3 | Aeromexico (AM) | 86.94% | 100.00% | 99.78% | 14,793 |
| 4 | Air India (AI) | 86.85% | 99.87% | 99.70% | 15,135 |
| 5 | Singapore Airlines (SQ) | 86.74% | 99.95% | 99.86% | 10,418 |
| 6 | WestJet (WS) | 86.40% | 99.98% | 99.43% | 16,779 |
| 7 | Emirates (EK) | 84.36% | 99.84% | 99.71% | 12,616 |
| 8 | Turkish Airlines (TK) | 84.26% | 99.96% | 99.69% | 35,249 |
| 9 | SAS (SK) | 83.39% | 99.96% | 98.00% | 22,946 |
| 10 | Qatar Airways (QR) | 83.04% | 99.92% | 99.54% | 13,338 |
Measures aimed at improving punctuality
Reacting to the report, the airline credited its strong performance to operational changes implemented over time to improve reliability and consistency for passengers.
{{/usCountry}}Reacting to the report, the airline credited its strong performance to operational changes implemented over time to improve reliability and consistency for passengers.
{{/usCountry}}“Air India has introduced a range of measures to strengthen schedule reliability and deliver a more consistent travel experience for its customers. These include improving departure punctuality, streamlining aircraft turnaround processes, enhancing real-time network monitoring, and enabling faster operational decision-making across the airline,” the airlines’ release added.
Air India said that it has also strengthened contingency planning and cross-functional coordination to better manage disruptions caused by factors such as adverse weather, airspace restrictions, airport congestion and technical issues.
The airline noted that these steps have so far helped minimise the impact of disruptions.