Aviation

IndiGo 4 th most punctual airline globally: OAG Punctuality League 2018

Indigo adds 6 new flights to bolster connectivity between India and Middle East

IndiGo 4th most punctual airline globally: OAG Punctuality League 2018

4th in the top 20 “Mega airlines category”
9th amongst “top 20 Low cost carriers”
Only Indian airline in the list of top 20 mega airlines

National, January 09, 2018: OAG, air travel Intelligence Company has ranked IndiGo as 4th most
punctual airline globally in the mega airline category. In its Annual review – Punctuality League 2018,
OAG recognizes the airlines that have consistently clocked highest On-time performance (OTP) by
including on-time performance for the world’s Top 20 busiest domestic and international routes, and
other categories. IndiGo has been ranked 4th amongst Top 20 mega airlines (The World’s Top 20
operators globally in terms of scheduled flights in 2017) and 9th amongst Top 20 Low-cost carriers (LCCs)
by OTP.

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IndiGo is the only Indian airline to have made it in the list of top 20 mega airlines. Punctuality League Report is a comprehensive annual report presented by OAG that reveals rankings of all airlines – mainline, low-cost and by region. The report aims to highlight carriers who have consistently demonstrated high performance and deliver on their promise to get passengers to their destinations in a timely manner. For detailed analysis, the OAG defined OTP as flights that arrive or depart within 14 minutes and 59 seconds (under 15 minutes) of their scheduled arrival/departure times. IndiGo has been recognized amongst major carriers such as Singapore airlines, Qatar airlines, Japan Airlines, Delta Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, British Airways, Spirit Airline and Jetstar Asia.

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The entire fleet of over 150 aircraft is equipped with technology called Aircraft Communications
Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS). Before departure of every IndiGo flight, an automatic
message is trigged from the aircraft via ACARS to our operations control centre (OCC) – and immediately
the same departure time gets recorded in the software. Likewise, the moment an aircraft lands at the
destination, an automatic message is trigged from the aircraft to the OCC. These timings are recorded
‘real time’, automatically through ACARS i.e. without any human intervention. Hence, our On Time
Performance is diligently monitored for every flight – real time.
In addition, IndiGo closes the check-in counters for all 6E flights operating across all destinations, 45
minutes prior to the departure. This move is in compliance with the directions and procedures specified
in Air Transport Circular 10 of 2009 issued by the DGCA, and also helps the airline minimize operational
disruptions.

Link for entire report: OAG Punctuality League 2018

Aviation

Lost Tool Found in Qantas A380 After 34 Flights

An Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation recently revealed that a Qantas A380 operated 34 flights with a 1.25-meter nylon tool lodged in one of its engines.

This turning tool, used during borescope inspections to rotate the intermediate-pressure compressor, was left behind during scheduled maintenance at Los Angeles on December 6, 2023. It remained inside the engine until it was discovered by maintenance staff during a subsequent check at Los Angeles on January 1, 2024.

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The ATSB report highlights two critical lapses. First, maintenance engineers failed to notice the tool during final checks for foreign objects after the borescope inspection. Second, the lost tool procedure was not activated when the tool was identified as missing.

The certifying engineer ultimately cleared the aircraft for service without accounting for the misplaced tool. During the time qantas films the tool was inside, the A380 completed 34 flight cycles, accumulating nearly 294 hours without any noticeable effect on engine performance.

Although the tool was deformed by high-energy airflow within the engine, there was no reported damage to the engine itself. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell commented.

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“This incident underscores the importance of following established maintenance protocols. Engineers missed the tool during foreign object checks, and the required lost tool procedure wasn’t started after realizing the tool was missing.”

Following the investigation, the airline issued a safety directive, urging all engineering and tool storage teams to adhere strictly to these protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A qantas spokesperson stated, “While the tool didn’t impact engine performance, we take this incident very seriously. It is critical to follow the correct lost tool procedures.”