SAA has once again come tops in on-time performance compared with other domestic airlines flying from Acsa airports.
Acsa, which began publishing the on-time performance stats of domestic airlines flying from OR Tambo, Cape Town and King Shaka international airports, has listed the best performing airlines for August.
SAA again took the top spot with 95,01% on-time performance. Low-cost carrier, 1time Airline followed closely in second place with 94,57%. Mango achieved 94,45%, Airlink 92,62%, and British Airways 89,41%. Kulula.com improved from July (81,7%) to 86,57% in August. A poor performance at OR Tambo airport (74,78%) dropped SA Express’s average to 85,67%, despite having performed well at the other airports.
Acsa has slammed claims that SAA is given preference by the airports company and air traffic control when it comes to delays and slot times.
“If one considers the number of flights per day and the complexity to manage these, it would be impossible to manipulate the schedules to favour one airline,” says Acsa’s Group Manager of Corporate Communications, Solomon Makgale. “Airlines also fly different routes, experience different operational constraints and have different service providers.”
The on-time performance measurement is fully automated with minimum human intervention. “All the data is shared with all stakeholders daily and should not be a surprise. A tour of the AMC (Airport Management Centre) would allay any suspicion,” he says.
He explains that the airlines, their ramp handling companies and Acsa are housed in the same Airport Management Centre and that decisions are made openly and collectively with stakeholders. “The process is very open and transparent and really very simple. Each airline gets issued with parking bays at each airport based on the anticipated schedule for the day. During the day of operation the airline is in full control of its activities and would board passengers when they are ready to do so. Pushback clearance is requested when ready, after which the aircraft would proceed to the threshold of the runway for departure clearance.”
Both 1time Airline and kulula.com confirm that Acsa does not give preference when it comes to delays and slot times. “ATNS and Acsa treat everyone fairly and equally, and we have never experienced any instances where any favouritism has been shown to any airline,” says Commercial Director of 1time Airline, Desmond O’Connor.
