Too often, we hear stories of people feeling frustrated as flights continue to be delayed, often without reason or sufficient warning, and passengers reporting they were not offered accommodation or meal vouchers from an airline. 

Sometimes, longer delays mean passengers miss a connecting flight on the same reservation.

Aviation analytics company Cirium has crunched the numbers to reveal which airlines in the Middle East and Africa have the best on-time ratings. No matter where you live or plan to go, this news will help your next trip be smooth sailing.

Oman Air has been listed as the top airline in terms of punctuality in the Middle East and Africa (MEA.)

An airline’s on-time performance is calculated by whether the plane arrives at the gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time and if it departs within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time.

Cirium’s 2023 On-Time Performance Review report highlighted the top ten airlines as most punctual in the MEA region.

1. Oman Air (Oman) 92.53%

2. Safair (South Africa) 92.36%

3. Royal Jordanian (Jordan) 87.51%

4. Qatar Airways (Qatar) 85.11%

5. Etihad Airways (UAE) 82.90%

6. Saudia (Saudi Arabia) 81.29%

7. Middle East Airlines (Lebanon) 79.15%

8. Emirates (UAE) 78.48%

9. Kuwait Airways (Kuwait) 73.18%

10. Kenya Airways (Kenya) 71.86%

“To meet the rising demand in tourism, the airline launched an expanded network and schedule in 2023, with significant frequency increases on existing routes and the addition of new destinations— representing a 60% increase in the number of flights from Muscat compared to last year,” said Lydia Webb, a marketing director at Cirium.

Webb adds that the expanded network, schedule, and fleet contribute to the economy of Oman, further stating that “the airline’s anticipated Oneworld Alliance membership in 2024 will help broaden its network’s global reach and provide travelers with greater travel options and other benefits.” 

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