Few things can be more frustrating for travelers than airline delays. You arrive at the airport with time to spare, check your baggage and clear customs only to discover that your plane will depart later than scheduled, or hasn’t even arrived. Delays are part of traveling and can occur because of everything from staff strikes to technical faults and unfavorable weather conditions. It would be great to live in a world where everything was as punctual as the Japanese train companies and apologies are given for services leaving 20 seconds early.
If time really is of the essence, then fortunately it is possible to plan ahead and be selective with our airline choices. The team at London-based OAG are specialists in providing air travel intelligence and statistics. With their help, we’ve got the world’s three least punctual airlines according to figures released in 2018. These figures are based on data that covers 80 percent or more of an airline’s departures.
Shenzhen Airlines
Established in 1992, Shenzhen Airlines possessed over 200 aircraft and operated 300 domestic and international routes by 2018. The airline is a Star Alliance member headquartered at China’s Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport. Flights connect with over 60 Chinese cities in addition to Hong Kong, Indonesia and destinations in Japan, Malaysia and Thailand, among other Asian countries. In late 2018 the airline launched a direct route between London and China. Despite all of this, Shenzhen Airlines is the world’s third least punctual airline and has an OTP (On-Time Performance) of 53.5 percent.
Find some alternative Chinese airlines here.
Avior Airlines
Avior Airlines is a Venezuelan airline that operates scheduled and charter services throughout Venezuela and to parts of the Caribbean. It began in 1994 with the goal of offering cooperative transport services to petroleum companies and flights to tourism destinations in the east of the country. Since then it has expanded its passenger routes to Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and the U.S. Avior Airlines currently has 21 aircraft in service, made up of Boeing 737s and Airbuses. Nevertheless, latest statistics report an OTP of just 53.1 percent.
Find some alternative Venezuela airlines here.
Air Inuit
Based out of Montreal, Air Inuit has been in the business of providing domestic, charter and cargo flights since 1978. It all began with the purchase of a De Havilland Beaver plane and has grown to a fleet of over 30 aircraft. Flights connect with cities across Quebec, including far-flung destinations such as Ivujivik and Salluit. There’s also services to the remote Nunavut territory. Let us take you there is the company slogan of Air Inuit, but with an OPT of just 44.6 percent, you might think otherwise when visiting Quebec.
Find some alternative Canadian airlines here.