The Frequent Flier

On-time rates showed an increase in March but many flights and airlines continue to struggle with getting you to your destination on-time

Things always seem to be changing –often for the worse– in the airline industry, but while frequent fliers have to deal with growing fees for checked baggage and new restrictions related to increased safety measures, on-time rates appear to be changing for the better.

According to information filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), the 18 largest airline carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 80 percent in March 2010, an increase of over 5 percent from the month before.

The BTS data, which includes reports on flight cancellations and causes of delayed flights, showed that carriers canceled 1.5 percent of their scheduled domestic flights in March 2010, a significant drop from the 5.5 percent in February 2010 and the cancellation rate of 2.1 percent in March 2009. For those flights that were delayed, the most common cause was weather as close to 40 percent of delayed flights were caused by Mother Nature. However, that was a 10-percent decrease from the same month last year.

While more passengers are arriving at their destination on-time, many still are finding that their luggage wasn’t as lucky. Data from the BTS showed that there were 3.72 reports per 1,000 passengers of mishandled baggage, an improvement over March 2009’s rate of 4.23 and February 2010’s 4.01 rate.

However, improved on-time rates and fewer mishandled baggage did not result in fewer complaints filed with the Department of Transportation. Complaints increased by 35.7-percent in March 2010 when compared to the same month last year. It was also an increase of nearly 25 percent from February 2010.

Passengers of Hawaiian Airlines enjoyed the highest on-time arrival rates with 90.2 percent of flights arriving at their destination on-time. JetBlue Airways reported an on-time arrival rate of 72.1-percent, the lowest of any carrier for the month of March.

While on-time rates showed an increase, many passengers flying to and from New York’s LaGuardia airport may not have noticed. Southwest Airlines flight 1142 from Baltimore to LaGuardia reported experiencing a delayed flight 100 percent of the time in March 2010, making it the nation’s most delayed flight.

Highest On-Time Arrival Rates
1. Hawaiian Airlines – 90.2 percent
2. Alaska Airlines – 87.3 percent
3. Pinnacle Airlines – 84.2 percent

Lowest On-Time Arrival Rates
1. JetBlue Airways – 72.1 percent
2. ExpressJet Airlines – 75.1 percent
3. American Airlines – 76.1 percent

Most Frequently Delayed Flights
1. Southwest Airlines flight 1142 from Baltimore to New York LaGuardia – late 100.0 percent of the time
2. Southwest Airlines flight 1229 from New York LaGuardia to Chicago Midway – late 93.75 percent of the time
2. Southwest Airlines flight 1138 from Denver to Kansas City, MO – late 93.75 percent of the time
4. Southwest Airlines flight 1599 from Baltimore to New York LaGuardia – late 87.50 percent of the time
4. Southwest Airlines flight 1925 from Baltimore to Hartford, CT – late 87.50 percent of the time
4. Southwest Airlines flight 2585 from Houston Hobby to Albuquerque, NM – late 87.50 percent of the time
4. Southwest Airlines flight 3922 from Houston Hobby to Austin, TX – late 87.50 percent of the time

Flights with Longest Tarmac Delays
1. American Airlines flight 160 from San Diego to New York JFK, 3/13/10 – delayed on tarmac 300 minutes
2. SkyWest Airlines flight 6530 from Denver to Birmingham, AL, 3/23/10 – delayed on tarmac 272 minutes
3. American Airlines flight 24 from San Francisco to New York JFK, 3/13/10 – delayed on tarmac 261 minutes
4. SkyWest Airlines flight 6136 from Denver to Appleton, WI, 3/23/10 – delayed on tarmac 241 minutes
(There were only four flights with tarmac delays of four hours or more in March)

Highest Rates of Canceled Flights
1. Comair – 3.4 percent
2. Atlantic Southeast Airlines – 2.9 percent
3. JetBlue Airways – 2.8 percent

Lowest Rates of Canceled Flights
1. Hawaiian Airlines – 0.0 percent
2. Continental Airlines – 0.2 percent
3. Alaska Airlines – 0.5 percent