Air India bags third spot in world's worst performing airlines

If you haven't been everywhere, travelling should be one of your new year resolutions. While you're at it, don't just jump the gun while booking your flights. The choice of an airline can either aid or absolutely ruin your vacation goals.

But how will you know which airline is a sure NO-NO, and which ones to prioritise?

The aviation insights company FlightStats has released a list of the international airlines with the best on-time performance records. And the losers. The company tracks delay and cancellation patterns for airlines across the globe, as reported by Bloomberg.

So here is the list of flights along with the likelihood of getting delayed in each carrier. Steer clear of these if you want a pleasant experience. (Who doesn't?) You can thank us later!

The Worst 10 International Airlines of 2016

10. Hainan Airlines - 30.3 per cent

9. Korean Air - 31.74 per cent

8. Air China - 32.73 per cent

7. Hong Kong Airlines - 33.42 per cent

6. China Eastern Airlines - 35.8 per cent

5. Asiana Airlines - 37.46 per cent

4. Philippine Airlines - 38.33 per cent

3. Air India - 38.71 per cent

2. Icelandair - 41.05 per cent

1. El Al - 56 per cent

Let's also point out the winners.

The Best 10 International Airlines of 2016

10. Qantas - 15.7 per cent

9. TAM Linhas - 14.93 per cent

8. Delta Air Lines - 14.83 per cent

7. Singapore Airlines - 14.55 per cent

6. ANA - 14.46 per cent

5. Austrian - 14.26 per cent

4. Qatar Airways - 13.66 per cent

3. JAL - 12.2 per cent

2. Iberia - 11.82 per cent

1. KLM - 11.47 per cent

Jim Hetzel, Vice President of Aviation and Distribution at FlightStats, was quoted as saying, "Compiling the list is no small feat. We stitch data together from 500 different sources. Among those sources are flight-tracking and positional services, airport runway times, radar services, airline records, airport data, and such governing bodies as Eurocontrol and the Federal Aviation Administration. All of these pieces come in in different formats, all with different elements of value, and a lot of times the sources don't agree. We've built the technology and logic to sort that out and validate information across multiple sources. It's a pretty interesting process."

Hetzel also told Bloomberg, that this year's numbers are the best yet. "I'm seeing a big improvement in overall performance across the board as the industry becomes more and more competitive," he said. "It's a huge win for travelers."

So with this list in hand, find a beautiful place to get lost.

• Aviation
• India