Airline reliability figures reveal the NT’s dud route

The Northern Territory had the nation’s worst-performing flight route in April. But the data also revealed it wasn’t all bad news for visitors to the Territory.

A popular route into the Territory ranked as the country’s worst during April, new airport data has revealed.

Melbourne to Darwin departures were the nation’s dud route with just 40.2 per cent of departures leaving on time.

However flights into Alice Springs airport were more likely to arrive on time in April than at any other major airport.

The domestic airline on time performance figures for April show QantasLink to be far and away the most reliable airline operating at the NT’s two main airports.

Out of 49 QantasLink flights that landed in Alice Springs last month, 93.9 per cent of those arrived on time and 89.8 per cent departed on time.

Tourist and passengers arrive at Alice Springs airport off a Virgin Australia flight.

Virgin, which had 12 flights into and out of Alice Springs last month, of which 91.7 per cent arrived on time and 75 per cent departed on time.

In Darwin, 26 QantasLink flights arrived in April with 92.3 per cent of those on time, way ahead of second-placed Virgin Australia which had 65 flights land in Darwin last month, with 67.7 per cent of those landing on time.

Jetstar’s 53 arrivals in Darwin were punctual 60.4 per cent of the time, Virgin Regional Airlines arrived on schedule 58.8 per cent of the time and Qantas was least reliable, with only 52.9 per cent of its 34 flights landing on time.

However Qantas had Darwin’s best on-time departure rate with 85.3 per cent of the airline’s 34 flights out of Darwin last month leaving on time.

Then Prince Charles, alongside Princess Diana holding baby Prince William at Alice Springs Airport. It’s believed their plane was on time. Picture: News Ltd

QantasLink was next best with 73.1 per cent of its 26 flights leaving on time, Virgin Australia Regional 70.6 per cent on time and only half of Jetstar’s flights out of Darwin in April departing on time.

Of the 59 routes which met the criteria for on time performance reporting in April 2023, the Adelaide-Alice Springs route had the highest percentage of on time arrivals at 93.4 per cent.

Alice Springs Airport recorded the highest percentage of on time arrivals in the country with 93.4 per cent and was placed third for on-time departures with 86.9 per cent leaving on time.

The commonwealth’s Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics monitors the punctuality and reliability of domestic airlines operating between Australian airports to allow for evaluation of overall industry and individual airline performance.

The performances of Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, Rex Airlines, Virgin Australia and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines are assessed in the monthly BITRE report.