The skies over Australia were anything but calm in December 2023. Between holiday travel surges, unpredictable weather, and air traffic control disruptions, airlines faced a challenging month. Yet, through it all, Qantas emerged as the clear leader in both on-time performance and customer satisfaction.
Qantas consistently topped the charts, with an impressive 69.5% of flights departing on time compared to its competitor’s 56.5%. This marks the 16th consecutive month of Qantas holding the title of Australia’s most punctual major domestic airline. But while this streak is commendable, Qantas acknowledges there’s still room for improvement.
Cancellations were also significantly lower for Qantas, with only 3.7% of flights grounded compared to 7.5% for its competitor. Notably, cancellations on key routes like Melbourne-Sydney and Sydney-Canberra dropped to just 3%.
Uncontrollable Factors Take Flight:
Mother Nature and air traffic control issues played a significant role in December’s turbulence. Tropical Cyclone Jasper wreaked havoc on northern Queensland, forcing the closure of Cairns Airport for four days. Throughout the month, other storms along the east coast caused disruptions on nine separate days.
Adding to the chaos, air traffic control staff shortages contributed to delays and cancellations, accounting for 16% of ground delays and 6% of cancellations at Australia’s four major airports.
Recognizing the impact of these external factors, Qantas proactively invested in operational reliability and customer experience initiatives back in September 2023. These included:
- Having more spare aircraft readily available
- Enhancing catering services
- Introducing baggage tracking through the Qantas app
- Streamlining customer recovery processes during disruptions
The positive impact was immediate. Qantas’ key customer satisfaction metric, the net promoter score, doubled for both domestic and international flights from November to December. This upward trend continued into January, a testament to the dedication of Qantas’ staff.
A Year of Progress
Looking beyond December, Qantas’ performance throughout 2023 paints a picture of steady improvement. Compared to its competitor, Qantas flights departed on time 74.1% of the time, nearly 7 percentage points higher. Cancellations also saw a decrease, with Qantas grounding 3.5% of flights compared to 4.2% for its competitor. Overall, Qantas’ on-time performance in 2023 marked a 5% improvement over 2022, while cancellations dropped by 1.5%.
While challenges remain, Qantas’ commitment to on-time performance and customer satisfaction is evident. From proactive investments to dedicated staff, the airline is continuously working to deliver a smoother and more enjoyable travel experience for millions of passengers. With this unwavering focus, Qantas is well-positioned to navigate even the stormiest skies and maintain its position as Australia’s leading airline.
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