Airline on-time performance second-best on record in November
BY D.R. STEWART World Staff Writer
Friday, January 11, 2013
1/11/13 at 4:50 AM
U.S. airlines operated 85.7 percent of their flights on time in November, the second best on-time results ever recorded by the industry, government and industry officials said Thursday.
The Department of Transportation said in its Air Travel Consumer Report that U.S. airlines also had the best November on record for baggage handling performance, when 99.7 percent of all U.S. passengers reported that their bags were properly handled.
The top five airlines operating flights that arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival in November were Hawaiian Airlines, which had 94.05 percent of its flights on time; AirTran Airways, 91.28 percent; Delta Air Lines, 90.55 percent; Mesa Airlines, 88.44 percent; and US Airways, 88.06 percent.
The industry average on-time arrival rate in November was 85.73 percent.
American Airlines, which also marked its year anniversary in bankruptcy in November, posted the industry's worst on-time arrival performance in November with a rate of 79.64 percent.
"Flying continues to improve as our members deliver on their commitment to providing airline passengers with a safe, reliable and on-time experience," said Nicholas Calio, president and CEO of Airlines for America, the industry trade group. "November proved no exception as U.S. airlines produced some of their strongest on-time arrival and baggage-handling results."
In the first 11 months of the year, U.S. airlines delivered 82.32 percent of their flights on time.
Top performers were Hawaiian, 93.38 percent; Alaska Airlines, 87.89 percent; AirTran, 87.56 percent; Delta, 86.64; and US Airways, 86.14 percent.
American Airlines, with 77.10 percent of its flights operating on time during the first 11 months, posted the worst on-time performance in the industry.
Original Print Headline: Airlines log good month for on-time performance
D.R. Stewart 918-581-8451
don.stewart@tulsaworld.com
