U.S. airlines' on-time performance improved in August, the
Department of Transportation said Tuesday, although it mishandled
more bags and received more complaints than a month earlier.
The DOT's Bureau of Transportation Statistics said the 19
carriers reporting on-time performance had an overall rate of
79.7%, up from 78.4% a year earlier and 77.6% in July. The agency
said carriers canceled 1% of their scheduled flights, compared with
1.6% a year earlier and 1.2% in July.
A flight is counted as "on time" if it operated less than 15
minutes after the scheduled time shown in the carriers'
computerized reservation system.
Regional carrier Comair Ltd. (COM.JO) again had the worst
on-time performance in August at 65.9%, while Hawaiian Holdings
Inc.'s (HA) Hawaiian Airlines again had the best, with a 94.7%
rate. Atlantic Southeast Airlines had the second-worst rate, at
69.5%, followed by AirTran Holdings Inc.'s (AAI) carrier and
Northwest Airlines at 74.2% and 74.4% respectively. Alaska Air
Group Inc.'s (ALK) airline followed Hawaiian atop the timeliness
list at 85.8%.
The most frequently delayed trip for August was Pinnacle
Airlines flight 896 from Knoxville, Tenn., to Atlanta, which was
late 94% of the time. Pinnacle is the only airline that voluntarily
reports data to the department.
Meanwhile, the industry had a mishandled baggage rate of 4.04
per 1,000 passengers in August, down from 4.98 a year earlier but
worse than July's 3.98 rate. The DOT also received 888 complaints
in August, compared with 1,006 and 827, respectively.
-By Joan E. Solsman, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2291;
joan.solsman@dowjones.com