Which Nigerian Airlines Had the Most Flight Cancellations in Q3 2025?

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) released its Q3 2025 performance data. This report covers domestic airline operations from July to September. The data highlights both challenges and overall improvements in the Nigerian aviation sector performance.

United Nigeria Airlines and Max Air recorded the highest rates of flight cancellations among all domestic carriers. United Nigeria Airlines posted a 0.63 percent cancellation rate in Q3 2025. This was a slight improvement from 0.70 percent in Q3 2024. Max Air followed with a 0.42 percent cancellation rate, down from 0.60 percent in the previous year.

Overall Operational Reliability Improves

Despite these figures, the overall Nigerian airline operational reliability showed significant gains. The NCAA reported a sharp drop in total canceled flights. Only 80 flights were canceled in Q3 2025. This is a major reduction from 251 cancellations in the same period of 2024.

Total domestic flights operated Nigeria also increased year-over-year. Airlines operated 17,731 flights in Q3 2025. This is up from 15,989 flights in Q3 2024. This growth suggests rising passenger traffic and capacity.

Notable Cancellation Improvements

Several airlines achieved dramatic improvements in their cancellation rates. Air Peace saw a sharp reduction, dropping from 1.70 percent in Q3 2024 to just 0.09 percent in Q3 2025. Arik Air also showed significant progress. Its cancellation rate fell from 1.70 percent to 0.30 percent. Ibom Air improved its performance, cutting cancellations from 0.80 percent to 0.12 percent. These metrics are crucial for passengers and industry oversight bodies like the FAA.

Flight Delay Statistics

The NCAA Q3 2025 report also tracked flight delays and cancellations statistics. Air Peace recorded the highest Air Peace flight delay rate at 6.87 percent. However, this was an improvement for the airline. Its delay rate was 8.07 percent in the corresponding quarter of 2024.

Max Air and United Nigeria Airlines also saw high delay rates. Max Air posted 3.75 percent, and United Nigeria recorded 3.42 percent. Overall, the number of delayed flights decreased. A total of 765 flights were delayed in Q3 2025. This is down from 843 delayed flights a year earlier.

Industry Context and Impact

These airline on-time performance metrics are vital for consumer protection enforcement NCAA. Consistent delays and cancellations erode passenger trust. The overall positive trend in cancellation reduction is a good sign for the domestic market. It suggests that operational efficiencies are improving across the sector. The data helps the IATA track global trends. It also informs business decisions for major industry partners like Emirates.

Operational challenges remain a key focus for Nigerian carriers. Issues include maintenance and infrastructure limitations. Stakeholders continue to push for greater operational reliability. This is essential for a stable and growing Nigerian aviation sector performance. For more commercial aviation news, visit our updates.

• Risk: Airlines with high cancellation rates, such as United Nigeria and Max Air, face increased regulatory scrutiny and passenger dissatisfaction.
• Opportunity: The significant reduction in total cancellations demonstrates a positive trend in the sector's maturity and operational focus.
• Challenge: Air Peace must address its consistently high delay rate to improve its on-time performance ranking.

This data provides a clear benchmark for Q3 2025 domestic flight performance. Airlines must continue to invest in maintenance and logistics. This will ensure sustained operational improvements.