Worst On-Time Performance Since Agency Started Keeping Track

Things aren't getting any better on the nation's airlines. Figures released Tuesday by the Department of Transportation show carriers posted a sharp increase in cancellations through May of this year, and the lowest percentage of on-time flights since the DOT began keeping track of performance in 1995.

CNN Money reports about 73.6 percent of the roughly three million flights between January and May were on time. That's down from the same period last year, when carriers were able to make their scheduled times 77.4 percent of the time.

At least those flights made it to their destinations. In the same period this year, airlines cancelled 75.925 flights, a 79 percent gain over last year.

Hawaiian Airlines was best able to get passengers to their destinations on time, according to the DOT. US Airways, on the other hand, was only able to get passengers to the gate as scheduled 67.9 percent of the time. American Airlines and its American Eagle regional subsidiary combined to cancel the most flights in May, with 2.2 percent of their domestic flights scrubbed from the board.

Passengers might be able to stack the odds in their favor somewhat, depending on departure points and destinations. For example, a passenger flying from Portland, OR to Oakland, CA stands a great chance of departing and arriving on time -- as each airport ranked at the top of those respective categories.

On the other hand, if you're flying from Chicago O'Hare to Newark... well, we hear Greyhound has some great deals going on right now. Ditto for passengers planning to fly US Airways flight 1569 from Boston to Philadelphia, which was delayed almost 96 percent of the time through May, according to the DOT.

Not surprisingly, passenger complaints are also up -- jumping 49 percent over 2006, to 929 grievances filed over shoddy airline service.

FMI: www.dot.gov