Russia's flagship carrier, Aeroflot, was the world's most punctual major international airline last month, tracking agency FlightStats declared Wednesday.
Of the 15,130 Aeroflot flights sampled in May, 91.18 percent left the tarmac on time, according to a report by the agency, which tracks the performance of nearly 150,000 flights each day.
Scandinavia's biggest carrier, SAS, finished a close second with 90.86 percent of its 21,382 tracked flights taking off on time. Spain's Air Europa was third with 89.64 percent — though just 4,415 of its flights were recorded.
Only 4.94 percent of Aeroflot's flights were late by 15 to 29 minutes, 1.67 percent by 30 to 44 minutes and 2.22 percent by more than 45 minutes. A mere 0.38 percent of its flights were canceled.
China Airlines was the worst performer out of the 43 major international airlines surveyed, with 51.33 percent of its 5,706 sampled flights leaving late. Just over 16 percent were more than 45 minutes behind schedule.
FlightStats includes carriers in its survey if it can track the status of at least 80 percent of their flights. Its coverage is often in the upper 90-percent range, and most major airlines appear on its list.
See also:
Aeroflot Dumps Rights for Flights to 17 Destinations, Including Berlin and Kiev
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
