Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been ranked the fourth most punctual airline in the Asia-Pacific region for 2025, according to the latest On-Time Performance Review by global aviation analytics firm Cirium. The national carrier fell one spot from its third-place ranking in 2024, reflecting a marginal dip in punctuality as regional competition intensified.

SIA recorded an on-time performance (OTP) of 78.58% in 2025, down slightly from 78.67% the previous year, according to the Cirium report released on January 2, 2026. Despite the modest decline, the airline remained one of the region’s most reliable carriers, maintaining its strong operational consistency amid ongoing air traffic recovery post-pandemic and increasing congestion across major airports.

Regional leaders see major gains

Philippine Airlines emerged as the most punctual airline in Asia-Pacific, achieving an impressive 83.12% OTP, a sharp improvement from 76.06% in 2024 when it ranked seventh. Analysts attributed its surge to network recalibration, improved ground operations, and enhanced schedule management across its regional routes.

Air New Zealand secured second place, while Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) ranked third — both maintaining high punctuality levels that reflect strong operational reliability in their respective domestic and international networks.

In 2024, Air New Zealand had placed fourth behind SIA, while ANA had held the second position.

SIA reaffirms operational commitments

Responding to the rankings, an SIA spokesperson told The Straits Times:

“Singapore Airlines remains firmly committed to operational excellence and to enhancing the end-to-end travel experience for all our customers. We continually review our operational processes to ensure high standards of reliability and efficiency.”

Cirium noted that its annual analysis draws flight data from more than 600 global sources, including airlines, airports, radar feeds, and air traffic control systems. A flight is considered on time if it arrives or departs within 15 minutes of its scheduled gate time. Airlines are ranked based on arrival punctuality, while airports are assessed by departure performance.

Global rankings dominated by Latin American and Middle Eastern carriers

On the global stage, Mexico’s Aeromexico retained its title as the world’s most punctual airline, with an exceptional 90.02% OTP. It was followed by Saudia, the Saudi Arabian flag carrier, at 86.53%, and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) in third place with 86.09%.

Despite Singapore’s strong regional standing, no Singapore-based carrier appeared among the top 10 globally for on-time performance in 2025.

Changi Airport absent from top punctual hubs

The Cirium report also evaluated airport punctuality worldwide, categorizing hubs by annual departure volumes. Changi Airport, one of Asia’s busiest international gateways, did not appear in any of the top-performing airport categories for 2025 — a result attributed by analysts to increased post-pandemic traffic, runway works, and expansion activities that can affect scheduling precision.

Among large airports (25–40 million annual departing passengers), Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in Chile ranked first with an 87.04% punctuality score, followed by Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (86.81%) and Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport (86.55%).

In the medium category (15–25 million departing passengers), Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport retained its leading position with an exceptional 93.34% OTP — marking one of the highest punctuality scores in Cirium’s 2025 analysis.

For small airports (5–15 million passengers annually), Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil, Ecuador, once again clinched the top spot with 91.47%, reinforcing Latin America’s strong showing in operational punctuality.

Global punctuality reflects growing resilience

Cirium’s 2025 findings underscore a global improvement in airline time performance, despite rising flight activity and continued congestion at several major hubs. On-time performance remains a key indicator of operational excellence and passenger satisfaction, often influencing airline reputation and customer loyalty.

The report highlights that while many Asian and Middle Eastern carriers have enhanced schedule discipline, infrastructure constraints and regional weather factors continue to pose challenges for on-time reliability in rapidly growing travel markets.

Riyadh Air and Saudia have announced the implementation of the first phase of their Strategic Cooperation Agreement, marking a major step in strengthening connectivity under Saudi Arabia’s National Aviation Strategy.

The partnership builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2023 and enables the two airlines to expand travel options for domestic and international passengers.

As part of the first phase, Riyadh Air has established a connection with Saudia’s Passenger Service System (PSS), allowing the carriers to implement their codeshare across their respective technology platforms.

Under the RX-SV codeshare, Riyadh Air will place its “RX” designator on selected Saudia-operated flights from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport to six domestic destinations: Abha, Al Qassim, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina and Tabuk.

The agreement will give Riyadh Air passengers access to additional destinations worldwide through convenient connections in Riyadh. For example, travelers from Dammam can connect via Riyadh to Madrid on a single ticket, while passengers flying from Kuala Lumpur can connect through Riyadh to Medina.

By using Saudia’s frequent services between Riyadh and the six codeshare destinations, Riyadh Air will offer passengers more convenient connections aligned with the arrival and departure schedules of its flights at Riyadh.

Both airlines operate within the King Khalid International Airport Terminal 1-4 complex, enabling passengers to benefit from streamlined connections, single-ticket journeys and through-checked baggage to their final destinations.

The first phase represents a significant step toward deeper cooperation between Saudi Arabia’s two national carriers and supports the Kingdom’s broader ambitions to expand its global aviation network.

Source: aaco.org

SalamAir has announced the establishment of Salalah’s first-ever airline base, marking a major step in the airline’s expansion and strengthening direct international connectivity from Oman’s Dhofar Governorate.

The new Salalah-based operation will initially serve three international destinations: Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Chattogram in Bangladesh and Calicut in India. Bookings opened on August 26, with flights scheduled to begin from the end of October as part of SalamAir’s Winter 2026 schedule.

The base follows SalamAir’s expanded operations during the 2026 Khareef season, when the airline increased capacity on the Muscat-Salalah route to as many as 15 daily flights during peak periods.

The airline also introduced special domestic fares for Omani nationals, with one-way tickets starting from OMR 9.99, supporting affordable travel between Muscat and Salalah.

The new base is expected to extend SalamAir’s role beyond the Khareef season by supporting year-round travel demand among residents and expatriate communities in Dhofar while offering more direct access to key regional and international destinations.

Operations from Salalah will be supported by SalamAir’s Airbus A320neo and A321neo fleet. The airline currently operates 18 aircraft, providing additional flexibility to support growing demand across its network.

During the winter season, SalamAir will also operate charter flights linking Salalah with Astana and Almaty in Kazakhstan, supporting inbound tourism from Central Asia.

The Salalah base forms part of SalamAir’s wider strategy to expand its network from key airports across Oman, develop underserved markets and stimulate new travel demand while supporting the growth of the Sultanate’s aviation and tourism sectors.

Source: ZAWYA