Chennai only airport in India to feature in global top 10 list for on-time performance

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As per aviation analytics firm ‘Cirium’, India’s Chennai airport is the only one from the country to feature in the Top10 global list for On-time performance, in the year 2021. To arrive at this, Cirium had analyzed and compared data from ‘large airports’. “The on-time departures to 70 routes globally analyzed by Cirium stands at 89.32 per cent for Chennai Airport. The achievement represents Customer service quality and Operational excellence” said the aviation analytics firm. The other airports that featured in the Top10 list were from Japan, Europe etc. 

This report has come at a time when the aviation industry is on the revival path and air travel is winning back passengers post the pandemic turbulence. Increased footfalls are forecast and accordingly airports and airlines augmenting the facilities and services. The most recent traffic figures of Chennai Airport indicate more than 80% recovery in domestic traffic, and is not far away from reaching pre-COVID levels. 

“Stake holder engagement and Collaborative Decision making in Airport Processes has helped Chennai Airport gain passenger and industry confidence. Besides that, the steps taken to enhance airside capacity (number of take-offs and landings that can be handled in a certain period) of Chennai Airport has augured well leading to this achievement, predominantly the commissioning of Rapid Exit Taxi way (C-1), N&R parallel taxiways”, says Dr. Sharad Kumar, Airport Director, Chennai Airport.

Cirium reviews the total number of flights in a given month for every airport globally in an ordered list, then looks at where the percentile demarcations fall. For the annual On-time performance review, Cirium takes the total number of flights in a given year for every airport. The firm’s on-time performance reporting for airlines and airports is an objective, third party perspective on on-time performance data, overseen by industry experts with an unbiased view of the industry.

Chennai achieving the 8th rank in On time performance among larger airports wouldn’t have been possible without consistent efforts of Airlines and stakeholders bringing synergy to smooth airport operations. “It is a proud moment that an Indian airport is in the top 10. Kudos to the entire aviation fraternity of Chennai Airport” opined Sh. K.P. Kumar, Chairman, AOC, Chennai Airport.