Flight cancellations across Europe increased by 11 per cent in September, although the best-performing airlines for on-time arrivals experienced only minimal upticks, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.

Iberia Express was named the ‘most on-time’ European airline in September, with 85.1 per cent of its 3,725 flights arriving on time. SAS was the second-best performer, with 82.5 per cent of its 20,827 flights arriving on time, and Air Europa was third with 80.1 per cent of its 5,853 flights on time.

Finnair was fourth and Norwegian fifth in the ranking, with Iberia, Transavia France, Brussels Airlines, Norwegian Air Sweden and Vueling completing the top ten, according to Cirium’s on-time performance report for September.

Globally, Aeromexico again achieved the best on-time performance at 91.1 per cent. Saudia, with 89.4 per cent of flights arriving on time, was second, and Avianca was third with 88.7 per cent. Delta Air Lines was fourth (87.8 per cent) and Qatar Airways was fifth (87.4 per cent). United Airlines was sixth and LATAM seventh, with Azul in eighth, JAL ninth and American Airlines tenth on the global ranking.

Although flight cancellations in Europe jumped from 6,941 in August to 7,731 in September, cancellations at a global level fell 11 per cent, from 52,931 in August to 47,324 in September, largely helped by a significant improvement in North American performance.

Meanwhile, among airports, Riyadh King Khalid International Airport achieved the highest on-time departure record globally in September (89.7 per cent), followed by Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (89.1 per cent), Mexico City Benito Juarez International Airport (88.49 per cent), Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (88.46 per cent), and Salt Lake City International Airport (87.5 per cent).