Only One Flight In January Delayed Over Three Hours

The nation's largest airlines reported only one flight in January with a tarmac delay of more than three hours, down from 20 flights in January 2010, according to the Air Travel Consumer Report released Tuesday by the U.S. DOT.
 
Data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a part of DOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration, showed there have been only 16 total tarmac delays of more than three hours reported from May 2010 through January 2011 by the airlines that file on-time performance data with DOT, compared to 604 reported from May 2009 through January 2010.  In January, the carriers also reported that .0600 percent of their scheduled flights had tarmac delays of two hours or more, equal to the .0600 percent reported in December 2010.

January was the ninth full month of data since the new aviation consumer rule went into effect on April 29, 2010.  The new rule prohibits U.S. airlines operating domestic flights from permitting an aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours without deplaning passengers, with exceptions allowed only for safety or security or if air traffic control advises the pilot in command that returning to the terminal would disrupt airport operations.  The Department will investigate tarmac delays that exceed this limit.

During January, when large parts of the country experienced severe winter weather, the carriers canceled 3.9 percent of their scheduled domestic flights, compared to 2.5 percent in January 2010 and 3.7 percent in December 2010.  The number of canceled flights with tarmac delays of more than two hours increased only slightly, from 268 between May 2009 and January 2010 to 312 between May 2010 and January 2011.  There were 46 canceled flights with tarmac delays of more than two hours in January 2011, up from 17 in January 2010.

The monthly report also includes data on on-time performance, chronically delayed flights, flight cancellations, and the causes of flight delays filed with the Department by the reporting carriers.  In addition, the report contains information on reports of mishandled baggage filed by consumers with the carriers, and consumer service, disability and discrimination complaints received by DOT's Aviation Consumer Protection Division.  This report also includes reports of incidents involving pets traveling by air, as required to be filed by U.S. carriers. 

FMI: www.bts.gov