One WN Flight Late 100 Percent Of The Time

The largest US airlines' rate of on-time flights this past May was higher than in both the same month last year and April 2008, according to the Air Travel Consumer Report released today by the US Department of Transportation (DOT). The rates of flight cancellations and mishandled baggage also declined compared to the same periods, according to the report.

Information filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a part of DOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), indicates the 19 carriers reporting on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 79.0 percent in May, higher than both May 2007's 77.9 percent and April 2008's 77.7 percent.

The monthly report also includes data on the causes of flight delays and consumer service, disability and discrimination complaints received by DOT's Aviation Consumer Protection Division. This report also includes reports required to be filed by U.S. carriers of incidents involving pets traveling by air.

Airlines also cancelled fewer flights in May. Reporting carriers canceled 1.0 percent of their scheduled domestic flights, lower than both the rates of 1.1 percent in May 2007 and 1.7 percent in April 2008. 

Of reporting airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and regional carrier Pinnacle Airlines posted the highest on-time figures, while American, United and Continental reported the worst performances. And in a factual snippet unlikely to make it into a press release, perennial top performer Southwest Airlines achieved the dubious honor of operating the single-most delayed route -- Flight 2709 from Houston to San Diego, which was late 100 percent of the time operating Sunday-Friday.

The carriers filing on-time performance data reported 7.73 percent of their flights were delayed by aviation system delays, compared to 7.70 percent in April; 6.39 percent by late-arriving aircraft, compared to 6.51 percent in April; 5.12 percent by factors within the airline's control, such as maintenance or crew problems, compared to 5.63 percent in April; 0.53 percent by extreme weather, compared to 0.55 percent in April; and 0.04 percent for security reasons, the same percentage as April.

Data collected by BTS also show 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 May, 44.05 percent of late flights were delayed by weather, up 12.54 percent from May 2007, when 39.14 percent of late flights were delayed by weather, and up 16.26 percent from April when 37.89 percent of late flights were delayed by weather.

The full report is available at the FMI link below.

FMI: www.bts.gov