Air New Zealand v Jetstar: On time reliability revealed, the route where cancellations are worst

New figures compare airlines on routes where there is competition. Photo / NZME

Air New Zealand and Jetstar’s reliability improved coming into spring but around 20% of flights still ran late and dozens of flights were cancelled.

For September 2024, on-time performance for all routes was 79.7% for on-time departures and 81.7% for on-time arrivals, according to information released by the Ministry of Transport.

By airline, Air New Zealand recorded 80.4% for on-time departures (within 15 minutes of schedule) in September, and Jetstar 78.0%.

For on-time arrivals in September, Air New Zealand recorded 82.1% and Jetstar recorded 80.6%.

Air New Zealand’s September 2024 cancellation rate was 1.4%, more than twice that of Jetstar’s was 0.6%.

The ministry is comparing the two airlines where they compete directly - on main trunk jet routes. Air New Zealand’s regional network is not reported in the monthly figures that are supplied by the airlines.

Between both airlines, the cancellation rate for the month was 1.2% (with 44 flights cancelled) with one route almost three times that.

Cancellations were highest on the Dunedin-Auckland route, with 3.4% of services cancelled (4 flights cancelled).

Jetstar reported that bad weather, typical of September, had an impact on on-time performance, especially high winds, showers and low visibility. Airport congestion affected performance in Queenstown.

Adverse weather conditions, including high winds, lightning, and storms, impacted Air New Zealand’s domestic jet performance in September.

Dunedin in particular experienced winds exceeding normal operational limits, heavily affecting on-time performance for this sector.

Air New Zealand operated about 80% of the 3568 flights that took off.

Wellington to Queenstown was the route with the highest on-time performance in September, for both on-time departures (93.1%) and on-time arrivals (91.7%).

Auckland-Queenstown was second for on-time departures (85.7%) and Queenstown-Wellington second for on time arrivals (86.1%).

The ministry in October released the first set of figures in the series, which brings New Zealand into line with airline reporting in other countries.

For August both airlines recorded a 78.5% on-time arrivals and 76.5% on-time departures.

The cancellation rate was 1.4%.

For August, OTP over all routes by the two airlines was 81.3% for on-time arrivals and 80% for on-time departures. The cancellation rate was 1.6%.

Air NZ recorded 78% for on-time departures in July and 83% in August.

Jetstar’s on-time departures were 72.5% in July and 72% in August.

For on-time arrivals, Air NZ recorded 80.2% in July and 83.8% in August while Jetstar recorded 74% in July and 74.7% in August.

Air NZ’s cancellation rate was 1.5% in July and 1.6% in August. Jetstar’s cancellation rate was 1% in July and 1.4% in August.

Both Jetstar and Air New Zealand use Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) to electronically measure on time performance (OTP).

After collection of initial data, aggregate reports are subject to internal audit by participating airlines prior to publication.

The ministry has only included routes where there is more than one airline operating on that route. There were 12 routes that met this definition in September.

“We are looking to extend the scope of future reports, to cover regional and international routes,” the ministry says.

Grant Bradley has been working at the Herald since 1993. He is the Business Herald’s deputy editor and covers aviation and tourism.