Birmingham Airport in the UK has been named the world’s most punctual in 2016 by air travel intelligence company OAG, with over 91% of its arriving and departing flights said to have been on time. In 2016 Birmingham Airport handled 100,000 scheduled flights, with its most punctual route being Dublin.
OAG compiles data from airports around the world for its annual Punctuality League – a copy of the 2016 document can be downloaded here. Birmingham Airport beat competition from countries including Japan, Australia, Brazil, Germany and the USA.
Paul Kehoe, Birmingham Airport’s chief executive, said, “To be crowned the world’s most punctual airport in 2016 is a tremendous prize, particularly in the busiest 12 months in our 77-year history. This achievement is the result of a team effort by the 7,000 employees and 140 companies operating at the airport – from ground handlers to bus drivers, and cleaners to office staff.
“We have invested £350m in the past 10 years to improve the airport infrastructure and we’re currently working on a further £100m development project to improve passenger facilities even more. These investments have helped us achieve this award because we can offer our customers a more efficient service.
“We work closely with our airlines and handling agents to ensure that delays, which are within our control, are kept to a minimum, and we thank all of our partners for their continued hard work to become the world’s most punctual airport.”
John Grant, senior analyst at OAG, added, “The UK’s airports and airlines have always been leaders in the global aviation industry, delivering exceptionally high service levels. The success of Birmingham is just another example of how the UK’s regional airports have created world-class facilities and networks that both connect their regional communities to the world, and provide valuable economic growth.”
Written by Dan Symonds
