NEW DELHI: Air India has been ranked the 4th most on-time airline in the world for June 2026 by the aviation analytics firm Cirium in its June 2026 On-Time Performance report.
Air India recorded an on-time arrival rate of 86.85% across 15,135 flights tracked during the month. The airline also posted an on-time departure rate of 86.23% and a completion factor of 99.7%, meaning virtually all scheduled flights operated as planned.
An official release said, “The ranking reflects Air India’s sustained investments in operational resilience, improved network planning, and enhanced execution across its domestic and international operations.”
As a hub-and-spoke network carrier operating a large number of domestic and international connections through India's two largest airports, Delhi and Mumbai, Air India manages significant operational complexity. “The airline's operations can be impacted by congestion and air traffic control restrictions at these busy airports, which often have a cascading effect across the network,” it said.
Over time, Air India has introduced a range of measures to strengthen schedule reliability and deliver a more consistent travel experience for its customers. These include improving departure punctuality, streamlining aircraft turnaround processes, enhancing real-time network monitoring, and enabling faster operational decision-making across the airline, it said.
Air India’s improving operational performance complements its broader transformation efforts underway, encompassing fleet modernisation, customer experience enhancements, digital innovation, and the strengthening of global connectivity through its growing hub-and-spoke network.
Ongoing fleet modernisation efforts
As part of its transformation, Air India is undertaking one of the world's largest fleet renewal programmes, having placed orders for 600 new Airbus and Boeing aircraft, while simultaneously modernising its existing fleet.
“The airline has inducted three new Boeing 787-9 aircraft over the last six months, with additional Boeing 787-9s and Airbus A350-1000s scheduled to join the fleet later in 2026.
In parallel, Air India is progressing with the retrofit of its legacy widebody fleet. Two of its 26 legacy Boeing 787-8 aircraft featuring completely refreshed interiors have already returned to service, while three more are currently undergoing upgrades in the United States,” the release said.
By the end of 2026, more than 50% of Air India's widebody fleet is expected to feature new or upgraded interiors, significantly enhancing the customer experience across the airline's long-haul network.