Qantas has reported its best on time performance since February 2023, with nearly 80% of flights departing as scheduled. This marks the 19th consecutive month Qantas has outperformed its main domestic competitor in terms of punctuality.
In March, Qantas (including QantasLink) achieved a 78.2% on-time departure rate, while its major domestic competitor reached 76.2%. Although pilot industrial action in Western Australia led to over 40% of flight cancellations, the rest of the network’s cancellation rate matched the industry average of 2.2%. Meanwhile, the competitor’s cancellation rate for the same period was 2.8%.
Additionally, Qantas recorded its lowest mishandled baggage rate in six years, demonstrating a commitment to improving customer experience. The airline carried over two million bags in March, and mishandled baggage incidents were almost 35% lower than the previous year.
Jetstar, a Qantas subsidiary, also saw improvements, with more than 80% of its domestic flights arriving on time in March, and cancellation rates decreasing to 1.5%.
Despite adverse weather conditions in Sydney, Qantas’s reliability in April remains steady, with on-time performance in the high 70% range.
Daniel Dihen, Head of Qantas Operations Centre, remarked on the positive results, attributing them to efforts made over the past six months to improve reliability. He noted that the airline’s on-time performance is approaching pre-COVID levels, emphasizing that the priority for everyone at Qantas is ensuring customers reach their destinations safely and on time.
