US Airways, Delta Near Top Of On-Time Rankings; American, United At Bottom

The nation’s largest airlines’ rate of on-time flights this past January was higher than in December but lower than in January 2007, according to the Air Travel Consumer Report released Tuesday by the US Department of Transportation (DOT).

According to information filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a part of DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), the 20 carriers reporting on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 72.4 percent in January -- down from January 2007’s 73.1 percent, but an improvement over December 2007’s abysmal showing of 64.3 percent. 

Among the carriers reporting their figures, two Hawaiian carriers -- Hawaiian Airlines, and Aloha Airlines -- led all carriers with on-time rates above 90 percent (94.1 and 93.1 percent, respectively.) US Airways reported a full 79.5 percent of its flights arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled times, with Delta narrowly behind at 78.6 percent.

In contrast, United reported only 62.1 percent of its flights were on time, the worst figure tabulated for January.

The monthly report also includes data on flight cancellations and causes of flight delays, as well as information on reports of mishandled baggage filed with the carriers, and consumer service, disability and discrimination complaints received by DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division.

Highest On-Time Arrival Rates 

• Hawaiian Airlines – 94.1 percent
• Aloha Airlines – 93.1 percent
• US Airways – 79.5 percent

Lowest On-Time Arrival Rates   

• United Airlines – 62.1 percent
• SkyWest Airlines – 65.3 percent
• American Eagle Airlines – 65.9 percent 

Most Frequently Delayed Flights 

1. Mesa Airlines flight 7173 from Des Moines, IA to Chicago – late 94.12 percent of the time
2. United Airlines flight 334 from Chicago to Columbus, OH – late 92.86 percent of the time
3. SkyWest Airlines flight 6360 from Salt Lake City to San Francisco – late 92.00 percent of the time
4. Mesa Airlines flight 7177 from Chicago to Des Moines, IA – late 90.91 percent of the time
5. Mesa Airlines flight 7297 from Chicago to Allentown, PA – late 88.89 percent of the time 

Highest Rates of Canceled Flights 

• Mesa Airlines – 6.5 percent
• American Eagle Airlines – 5.6 percent
• SkyWest Airlines – 5.2 percent  

Lowest Rates of Canceled Flights 

• Frontier Airlines – 0.2 percent
• Aloha Airlines – 0.6 percent
• Continental Airlines – 0.8 percent

The consumer report includes BTS data on the number of domestic flights canceled by the reporting carriers. In January, the carriers canceled 2.9 percent of their scheduled domestic flights, up from the 2.5 percent cancellation rate posted in January 2007 but down from the 3.5 percent rate recorded in December 2007. 

In January, the carriers filing on-time performance data reported 8.42 percent of their flights were delayed by aviation system delays, compared to 10.41 percent in December; 8.41 percent by late-arriving aircraft, compared to 10.89 percent in December; 6.79 percent by factors within the airline’s control, such as maintenance or crew problems, compared to 9.15 percent in December; 0.88 percent by extreme weather, compared to 1.38 percent in December; and 0.07 percent for security reasons, compared to 0.08 percent in December.

Data collected by BTS also shows the percentage of late flights delayed by weather, including those reported in either the category of extreme weather or included in National Aviation System delays. In January, 43.56 percent of late flights were delayed by weather, up 4.51 percent from January 2007, when 41.68 percent of late flights were delayed by weather, and down 0.02 percent from December when 43.57 percent of late flights were delayed by weather.

The US carriers reporting flight delays and mishandled baggage data posted a mishandled baggage rate of 7.37 reports per 1,000 passengers in January, an improvement over both January 2007’s rate of 8.19 and December 2007’s 9.01 rate.

In January, carriers reported four incident involving pets while traveling by air, up from one incident in December. All of the January incidents involved the death of pets.

In January, the department received 1,174 complaints about airline service from consumers, up 55.7 percent from the 754 complaints filed in January 2007 and up 38.3 percent from the total of 849 received in December 2007.

FMI: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov