Johannesburg, South Africa. FlySafair has soared to new heights of operational excellence, being recognised as the most punctual airline in the Middle East and Africa region for 2025, according to the annual Cirium On-Time Performance Review, the aviation industry’s gold standard for reliability metrics.
The South African low-cost carrier achieved an exceptional 91.06% on-time arrival rate, surpassing major global airlines including Qatar Airways, Etihad, and Emirates. Remarkably, FlySafair also outperformed the world’s most punctual airline during the same period, AeroMexico, which recorded an on-time performance score of 90.02%.
Cirium’s rankings are based on over 25 million data points from more than 600 sources, making this accolade one of the most trusted measures of operational performance in aviation.
“While we have achieved this recognition previously, it carries particular significance this year,” said Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair. “With sustained challenges in air traffic management, fuel supply, and airport infrastructure, including baggage systems beyond our direct control, maintaining reliable on-time performance has required extraordinary coordination and discipline. This result is a credit to the dedication of our teams.”
Since launching in 2014, FlySafair has consistently ranked among the world’s most punctual airlines, earning multiple global awards for on-time performance. This sustained achievement underscores the airline’s commitment to reliability and operational excellence.
Operational Excellence Beyond Punctuality
FlySafair’s punctuality record is part of a broader story of operational resilience and customer focus. Despite a post-pandemic aviation landscape with no reduction in competition, the airline has grown significantly over the past five years.
“Scale brings a different set of challenges,” Gordon added. “It’s easy to assume that size leads to complacency, but achieving this result under such demanding conditions is clear proof that FlySafair remains focused on delivering a reliable, high-quality service. That discipline is essential to our future.”
In 2025, FlySafair operated 98.9% of its scheduled flights, delivering one of the lowest cancellation rates in the Africa and Middle East region.
The airline’s customer satisfaction is equally impressive. FlySafair recorded a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +79.5, approaching “world-class” levels, which is significantly above the global airline industry average of +33. Leading full-service carriers like Singapore Airlines and Emirates typically report NPS scores between +65 and +75.
“There is a strong correlation between customer satisfaction and on-time performance,” said Gordon. “The key to consistently strong results is an unwavering focus on the customer and getting the fundamentals right.”
He highlighted the airline’s hands-on leadership during peak periods.
“During our busiest days, members of the C-Suite were on the ground at airports and in operational control centres. Every flight presents unique challenges, and sustained performance depends on continuous attention and discipline. This approach has underpinned our growth and will continue to guide FlySafair into the future.”
