Top 5 African airlines with the highest flight cancellations in 2024

Imagine standing at the gate, passport in hand, ready to board a long-awaited flight, only to hear those dreaded words: “We regret to inform you that your flight has been cancelled.” It’s a scenario that has become increasingly common worldwide, affecting millions of passengers each year.

These disruptions are often caused by various factors, including severe weather conditions, technical malfunctions, staffing shortages, or air traffic control issues. Such interruptions not only inconvenience travellers but also strain airline resources and passenger trust.

Globally, hubs in North America, Europe, and Asia experience the highest volumes of flight cancellations due to their dense air traffic networks and susceptibility to weather disruptions like snowstorms or typhoons.

In Africa, the issue of flight cancellations reflects both global trends and region-specific challenges. African airlines face unique hurdles such as limited fleet sizes, operational inefficiencies, and infrastructure constraints.

Weather events like the harmattan haze in West Africa, which reduces visibility, can lead to frequent disruptions. Additionally, economic instability, fuel shortages, and political unrest in certain regions have compounded the problem.

Some of the continent’s busiest airlines, such as Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways, strive to maintain reliability but are not immune to disruptions. In contrast, smaller carriers operating in countries with less developed aviation infrastructure struggle more significantly.

According to a recent Cirium report, Kenya Airways ranked highest for cancellations, with 2,263 flights cancelled out of 46,578 total flights. Air Seychelles followed closely with 1,624 cancellations out of 16,069 flights. Ethiopian Airlines, despite being Africa’s largest carrier with 151,543 flights, recorded 1,622 cancellations.