Powered by VariFlight incomparable aviation database, the monthly report of Airport On-time Departure Performance provides an overview of how global airports are performing in April, 2018.

- New Chitose (CTS) tops the global airports chart in April increasing by 3.45% in on-time arrival rate (compared to the prior March), with an average departure delay of 4.13 minutes.

- Urumqi Diwopu (URC) ascends in world's TOP10 best airports in April for on-time departure performance.

- Urumqi Diwopu (URC), Xi'an Xianyang (XIY) and Chongqing Jiangbei (CKG) are the TOP3 airports for punctuality in April among airports with a capacity of over 10 million passengers in mainland China.

- China's airports suffer less from severe weathers obviously in April, among which Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH), Shijiazhuang Zhengding (SJW), Beijing Capital (PEK) and Ningbo Lishe (NGB) are affected the most.

Global Hubs

URC Ascends in World's TOP10 Best Airports

New Chitose (CTS) tops the large airports chart in April with an on-time departure rate of 97.42 percent and an average delay of 4.13 minutes. In mainland China, Urumqi Diwopu (URC) ranks eighth on the list, ascending in world's TOP10 best airports for the second time since March.

Source: VariFlight

Figure 1: World's TOP10 best airports for on-time departures (Large airports, April, 2018)

Global Medium-sized Airports

TOP3 Airports Fall in Japan

The three best airports on April's on-time departure performance list are all in Japan, among which Itami ranks first with a punctuality of 97.47 percent and an average delay of 10.55 minutes.

Source: VariFlight

Figure 2: World's TOP10 best airports for on-time departures (Medium-sized airports, April, 2018)

Asia-Pacific---Major Airports

Chinese Airports Account Half of the TOP20 List

New Chitose (CTS) is delivered the first of all major airports in Asia-Pacific region. In mainland China, nine airports are in the rank, accounting half of the TOP20 list, among which Urumqi Diwopu (URC) ranks fourth (88.54 percent).

Source: VariFlight

Figure 3: TOP20 best airports in Asia-Pacific for on-time departures (Major airports, April, 2018)

Asia-Pacific---Medium-sized Airports

LJG Ranks First in China

In April, Japanese airports still go ahead in the TOP20 medium-sized airports for best on-time departure performance in Asia-Pacific, among which Itami (ITM) ranks first with a punctuality of 97.47 percent. In mainland China, Lijiang Sanyi (LJG) is recognized as thirteenth with an on-time performance of 84.79 percent.

Source: VariFlight

Figure 4: TOP20 best airports in Asia-Pacific for on-time departures (Medium-sized airports, April, 2018)

Mainland China---Airports with a Capacity over 10 Million Passengers

URC Tops the List

Urumqi Diwopu (URC), Xi'an Xianyang (XIY) and Chongqing Jiangbei (CKG) are the best three airports for on-time departure performance among airports with a capacity of over 10 million passengers in mainland China. Compared with March, punctualities in Nanning Wuxu (NNG), Sanya Phoenix (SYX) and Zhengzhou Xinzheng (CGO) rise gradually in April, respectively are 9.30 percent, 4.51 percent and 4.43 percent.

Source: VariFlight

Figure 5: China's airports on-time departure performance (airports with a capacity of over 10 million passengers, April, 2018)

Mainland China---Airports with a Capacity of over 2 Million Passengers

KHG Tops the List

Regarding airports with a capacity of 2 million to 10 million passengers, the supreme three are Kashgar (KHG), Hulun Buir Dongshan (HLD) and Lijiang Sany (LJG), respectively with on-time departure rates of 89.09 percent, 87.03 percent and 84.79 percent. Compared with March, punctualities in Quanzhou Jinjiang (JJN), Jieyang Chaoshan (SWA) and Zhanjiang (ZHA) rise rapidly in April, respectively are 7.06 percent, 6.73 percent and 4.32 percent.

Source: VariFlight

Figure 6: China's airports on-time departure performance (airports with a capacity of 2 million to 10 million passengers, April, 2018)

Worst-affected Airports under Extreme Weather Conditions

WNZ Suffers the Most from Severe Weathers

In April, airports affected less by severe weathers, among which Wenzhou Longwan (WNZ) suffers the most with a record of 15 hours. Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH), Shijiazhuang Zhengding (SJW), Beijing Capital (PEK) and Ningbo Lishe (NGB) have also been affected for 9 hours, 9 hours, 8 hours and 8 hours respectively.

Source: VariFlight

Figure 7: China's worst-affected airports for normal flight release rate (April, 2018)

Notes for editors

Period: Apr 1- Apr 30, 2018

Flights: Commercial air passenger flights only. Cargo aircrafts, corporate jets and general aviation are excluded.

Actual departure flights: Departure flights that have actual take-off time and actual departure time in VariFlight database. Canceled flights are excluded.

Actual arrival flights: Arrival flights that have actual take-off time and actual departure time in VariFlight database. Canceled flights are excluded.

Large airports: Airports with above 6000 actual departure flights monthly.

Medium-sized airports: Airports with 2000 to 6000 actual departure flights monthly.

On-time departure flights: ATD-STD<30mins

On-time arrival flights: ATA-STA<30mins

On-time departure rate: On-time Departure Flights/Actual Departure Flights * 100%

On-time arrival rate: On-time Arrival Flights/Actual Arrival Flights * 100%

Average departure delay time: Total Departure Delay Time/ Actual Departure Flights

(Departure delay time of a single flight: ATD-STD. If a flight departs ahead of the scheduled time of departure, then the result is zero.)

Average arrival delay time: Total Arrival Delay Time/ Actual Arrival Flights

(Arrival delay time of a single flight: ATA-STA. If a flight arrives ahead of the scheduled time of arrival, then the result is zero.)

Contributed by VariFlight