Air India ranked 3rd ‘worst’ airline in the world by FlightStats
Air India flight
The state-owned carrier, Air India, has been ranked as the third worst performing airline in the world by aviation insights company FlightStats.
Every year, FlightStats puts together a list of best and worst international airlines after considering various factors like cabin quality, service quality and flight delays.
This time around, Air India was ranked the third worst performing airline, with over 38 percent of flights witnessing delays.
According to a Bloomberg report, flying with a wrong carrier can delay travel by 55 percent while opting for the right one can reduce travel time by 11 percent, a make or break difference for most.
Jim Hetzel, vice president of aviation and distribution at FlightStats, says compiling the list is no small feat. “We stitch data together from 500 different sources,” said Hetzel, comparing the process to ‘creating a giant quilt’.
The national carrier has been struggling to make profit, although the situation has improved the recent quarters. Reports suggest that the airline is expected to make its first net profit by 2022.
Ashwani Lohani, Chairman and Managing Director of Air India has also discussed a turnaround plan with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, should regular delays continue to plague the airline, the task of churning profit may become more herculean than it already is.
The complete list of best and worst airlines is given below:
10 Worst International Airlines (average delay):
10. Hainan Airlines – 30.3 percent
9. Korean Air – 31.74 percent
8. Air China – 32.73 percent
7. Hong Kong Airlines – 33.42 percent
6. China Eastern Airlines – 35.8 percent
5. Asiana Airlines – 37.46 percent
4. Philippine Airlines – 38.33 percent
3. Air India – 38.71 percent
2. Icelandair – 41.05 percent
1. El Al – 56 percent
10 Best International Airlines (average delay):
10. Qantas – 15.7 percent
9. TAM Linhas Aereas – 14.93 percent
8. Delta Air Lines – 14.83 percent
7. Singapore Airlines – 14.55 percent
6. ANA – 14.46 percent
5. Austrian – 14.26 percent
4. Qatar Airways – 13.66 percent
3. JAL – 12.2 percent
2. Iberia – 11.82 percent
1. KLM – 11.47 percent
