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Monday, 5 October 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
SriLankan Airlines (www.srilankan.com) achieved the airline industry benchmark of on-time performance on 85.26% of its flights in August 2015, the result of a sustained effort throughout 2015 to improve punctuality.
SriLankan’s performance in August was ranked 16th out of 50 international airlines rated by the global flight data service Flightstats (www.flightstats.com). It placed SriLankan ahead of other reputed international airlines. SriLankan’s performance was not far off that of the 91.48% of first placed S7 Airlines of Russia.
“To improve our on-time performance was a key strategic initiative among my overall objectives, to enhance our product and service delivery. I am pleased that within a very short period of time the staff have all responded and rallied to this call, and delivered outstanding results. August is a peak month for us and to achieve this result during this period is an even more credible achievement,” said SriLankan Airlines CEO Rakhita Jayawardena.
On-time performance is a key performance indicator in an industry in which each airline tries to gain a competitive edge through higher standards in customer service.
SriLankan began 2015 with a less than desirable 66% of flights on-time, but quickly began to improve each month, recording over 80% in April, May, June and July. This achievement was the result of the professionalism of all departments involved with aircraft operations, together with support from SriLankan’s partners and service providers at its hub at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo and all its destinations around the world.
SriLankan’s success is due mainly to a high level of awareness created among staff and partner organisations on the importance of punctuality. With aviation being one of the most regulated industries globally, there are no shortcuts, but a complete focus on best practices. Safety is the number one priority in aviation with no flexibility to compromise, and SriLankan’s exemplary safety record demonstrates how serious it is in offering a product on-time with the highest possible safety standards.
The cooperation of partners such as airport operators, security, immigration and customs, is vital. Airlines also have to contend with issues beyond their control such as weather, airport congestion, air traffic control issues, and airport infrastructure issues.
SriLankan’s Punctuality Improvement Committee constantly monitors every flight, including the performance of every department and station, and examines reasons for delays. These include diverse departments such as Flight Operations, Engineering and Maintenance, Schedules Planning, Airport Service Delivery, Airport Service Support, SriLankan Cargo, SriLankan Catering, Commercial, Security, and Inflight Service.
