While other airlines are still deeply in red and will take months to rise up with IndiGo's profit levels, they are catching up on punctuality and also beating IndiGo in most number of on time flights.
Data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation shows that between December-February SpiceJet topped the on time performance ranking amongst all domestic airlines.
The data for December-January was collected from four metros and Bangalore and Hyderabad. February data from Chennai and Kolkata was not available. IndiGo and Jet Airways took up second and third rank alternatively during this period.DGCA has not yet released March data.
According to the DGCA data, SpiceJet fared better than the rest in on time at Chennai and Kolkata airports with over 96 percent on time flights in December and January. DGCA did not provide the data of these two airports for February.
IndiGo had a better on time performance than rivals at Mumbai and Delhi airports during those two months. On time performance of airlines has been the lowest at Mumbai airport in past few months as the ongoing taxiway work is causing flight delays as per a report in BS.
SpiceJet said it has been able to improve its punctuality record due to strict monitoring of flight movements.
"Each time a flight pushes back from the parking bay even a minute late a text message with reason goes to all operating department heads and the chief operating officer,'' said a SpiceJet spokesperson adding that this process had improved accountability amongst the employees and led to reduction in delays. This has enabled the airline to beat IndiGo which was number in OTP in October and November last year.
Air India which has been at the bottom of the ranking too is showing marked improvements and the airline managing director Rohit Nandan said currently 85 percent of all its flights across network are on time. Last month Air India's OTP was 83 percent, he said.
Investment in software applications for flight planning, scheduling, hub control and real time tracking of aircraft has helped the airline. Air India management is also implementing a zero tolerance for its first departures from bases which ensures that first flights depart on time.
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