FlySafair has emerged the most on-time airline in the Middle East and Africa region in the 2024 Cirium On-Time Performance Review. With an impressive 93.82% of its flights arriving on schedule, the low-cost carrier has demonstrated resilience and operational excellence in the face of adversity, yet again putting South Africa on the map in international aviation, the airline announced.
According to the airline, the accolade comes during a period of upheaval in South Africa’s aviation sector, where persistent disruptions tested even the most established players. “At the heart of these challenges were infrastructural challenges,” FlySafair revealed. It stated that “the suspension of over 400 flight procedures following the failure of Air Traffic and Navigation Services to have then renewed, devastated national airline performance,” as well as the “catastrophic fuel infrastructure crisis at OR Tambo International Airport, which led to widespread delays across the industry, were were daunting challenges the airline dealt with. Other obstacles included regulatory issues and operational costs.
Despite these obstacles, FlySafair consistently earned the top on-time ranking for 11 out of 12 months in 2024. Its success can be attributed to strategic investments in advanced scheduling systems, data-driven decision-making, and fleet management practices designed to minimise disruptions and optimise reliability, the airline disclosed.
It also said that its low-cost strategy paid off in new routes, thereby enabling more people to access new markets.
“Flights between Johannesburg and Harare are now half of what they used to cost, and while an Airlink ticket from Cape Town to Kruger Mpumalanga Airport was previously about R7000 one way, you can now fly FlySafair from around R1800,” the airline noted.
Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer of FlySafair, said: “2024 was a year of extraordinary challenges but also incredible triumphs for FlySafair. Our team’s unwavering commitment to operational excellence and customer satisfaction ensured we didn’t just survive but thrived in one of the most demanding periods in South African aviation history.”
While celebrating this milestone, FlySafair said it remains focused on continuous improvement and collaboration, and is actively working with regulatory bodies to address compliance concerns and establish clear pathways forward, all while maintaining seamless operations for its passengers.
Looking ahead, FlySafair said it aims to further enhance operational reliability, expand connectivity to better serve South African travellers, and strengthen its position as the leader in affordability and punctuality.
