Airlines target delays

AIRLINES using Hobart Airport say they are working to minimise delays.

The most recent Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics Bureau figures showed one in every four flights into and out of Hobart was delayed in April.

An average of 74.8 per cent of flights were on time in April, making Hobart’s airport the worst in the nation when it comes to on-time performance.

A Qantas spokesman said getting customers to their destination safely and on time was a priority.

“Knock-on delays in other ports and other parts of our network can have an impact on other flights,” the spokesman said.

“Our team are always focused on getting customers to their destination as scheduled but weather, operational requirements and air traffic congestion can have an impact.”

Qantas’s budget airline Jetstar said it closely monitored its operation “to see how we can improve our on-time performance”.

A Virgin Australia spokeswoman said: “Virgin Australia is committed to providing our guests with a reliable service and we strive to make sure every flight is on time”.

She said there were a number of factors that contributed to on-time performance, including weather conditions, air traffic, and operational requirements including unscheduled aircraft maintenance.

“We will always endeavour to minimise any delay or disruption to guests, and during the past year we’ve improved our on-time performance and reduced the number of flight cancellations,” she said.

Hobart Airport said it was working with airlines to improve on-time performance, and improvements had been made this year.