PAL back among most punctual airlines in Asia-Pacific

As air travel normalizes

MANILA, Philippines —  Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) emerged as one of the most punctual carriers in Asia-Pacific in June, displaying operational reliability in the aftermath of the Middle East crisis.

Based on Cirium’s On-Time Performance Monthly Report, PAL was the sixth most on-time airline in the region, turning in a punctuality rate of 86.33 percent in June.

PAL also recorded a completion factor of 98.32 percent over 7,859 flights, as the airline started to recover its network stability after enduring flight disruptions.

In Asia-Pacific, budget carrier Jeju Air led the list with an on-time rate of 90.51 percent, binding a two-month run at the top. Flag carrier Korean Air came next with 88.56 percent, while Scoot placed third with 86.98 percent.

Air India ended up fourth with 86.85 percent, with Singapore Airlines registering at fifth with 86.74 percent. IndiGo ranked seventh with 85.88 percent, while the AirAsia Group, including AirAsia Philippines, settled at eighth with 84.88 percent.

Southeast Asian flag carriers Garuda Indonesia and Malaysia Airlines capped the list with 84.13 percent and 83.19 percent, respectively.

Flight cancellations in Asia-Pacific fell by 19 percent to 25,599 in June, from 31,783 in May, as airlines steady their wings after sustaining flight disruptions from the Middle East crisis.

“Asia-Pacific saw a 19-percent drop in cancelled flights, yet it remained the region with the most cancellations,” Cirium said.

For PAL, its return to the list of most punctual airlines gives it a chance to retain its title in 2025. Last year, PAL emerged as the region’s most on-time airline after topping the list for four months: April, August, September and October.

Cirium chief industry officer Mike Malik said PAL has what it takes to sustain its dominance in the region. Malik said the airline is taking delivery of new aircraft, and these units are easier to keep on schedule given their optimal performance from newer parts.

“New aircraft are easier to keep on schedule, and fleet renewal at this scale reinforces operational gains that drove the OTP (on-time performance) results,” Malik said.

PAL has welcomed two of its nine Airbus A350-1000s, the latest generation of long-range aircraft that the airline uses for transpacific flights.