KUALA LUMPUR (May 5): Most Malaysia-based airlines missed the 85% on-time performance (OTP) target for international flights in March, with Firefly being the only local carrier to exceed the target, according to the latest data released by the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom).
The OTP is defined as departures occurring within 15 minutes of scheduled time, with regulatory benchmarks enforced by Mavcom requiring airlines to maintain at least 85% OTP and to ensure monthly flight cancellations do not exceed 20%.
“If an airline fails to meet the flight cancellation targets, the airline’s application for the renewal of existing services or for additional air traffic rights (ATRs) with Mavcom may be affected,” the commission said in a statement on Monday.
An ATR is needed for any airline operating scheduled flights between two or more locations, with at least one in Malaysia.
For international flights, medium-haul carrier AirAsia X Bhd (KL:AAX) recorded the lowest on-time rate at 79%, followed by Batik Air at 80.3% and AirAsia at 83.4%.
Malaysia Airlines missed the 85% OTP target with 83.7%, while its sister company Firefly exceeded the benchmark with 87.8%, surpassing the target for the sixth month in a row.
For domestic flights, AirAsia fell below the 85% OTP target at 80.4%, while AirAsia X, Batik Air, and MASwings exceeded the target. AirAsia X recorded an OTP of 87.5%, Batik Air's OTP stood at 87.2%, and MASwings saw an OTP of 85.7%.
Nevertheless, the domestic punctuality improved across most Malaysia-based carriers in March this year compared to the previous month of February 2025.
Mavcom stated that failure to meet the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016 (MACPC) and Airports Quality of Service (QoS) obligations could lead to penalties.
So far, Mavcom has fined AirAsia, AirAsia X, and Batik Air RM4.85 million for not complying with the MACPC, and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd RM4.1 million for failing to meet the Airports QoS Framework, which sets standards and key performance indicators to improve passenger comfort and service levels.
Mavcom launched an enhanced airline and airport performance dashboard on Monday, offering detailed insights into airline and airport performance in Malaysia. The updated dashboard, available on Mavcom's website, includes data on OTP, flight cancellations, delays, and airport performance, covering both domestic and international operations.
The dashboard includes airport performance metrics based on the Airports QoS Framework.
Airports covered under the framework include Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminals 1 and 2, Kota Kinabalu, Langkawi, Kuching, Miri, and Senai airports. They are assessed on passenger comfort, queuing times, passenger and baggage flows, and operator and staff facilities.
At KLIA Terminals 1 and 2, 28 service quality elements are used to assess each category. These may differ based on each airport's facilities and needs. Evaluations are based on airport performance, equipment availability, and operator efficiency, using data from airport operators, independent inspections, and Mavcom’s passenger surveys.
The framework will expand to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah and Penang International Airports by 2025, with other airports gradually joining by 2027. Data from these airports will be added to the dashboard as they are implemented.