British Airways records best punctuality in 7 years

British Airways has announced that it recorded its best punctuality performance in seven years in November.

Almost 87 per cent of short-haul flights across the airline's network departed on time in the month, an achievement that was partly attributed to the continuing improvement of Terminal 5.

November represented the first month of full capacity operations at British Airways' new terminal at Heathrow Airport and more than 13 million customers have now used the facility.

At Gatwick Airport, British Airways recorded a punctuality rate of 94 per cent last month, which it claims is the best figure on record at the airport for any "significantly sized carrier".

The airline's rate of lost baggage was 12 bags per 1,000 customers in November, which is less than a third of the peak of 38 bags per 1,000 passengers that was recorded in summer 2007.

British Airways operations director Andy Lord said: "Our punctuality and baggage performance continues to improve every month and our customers are really noticing the difference.

"Terminal 5, after eight months of use, is already delivering levels of performance well in advance of what was expected and well in advance of other major airports or terminals so early in their life."

The Civil Aviation Authority recently monitored ten of the biggest airports in the UK and recorded a punctuality rate of 70 per cent for scheduled flights – a four per cent improvement on the third quarter of 2007.

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