Wed, Dec 08, 2010
Nearly One Percent Of Flights Cancelled, Up Slightly Over
September
The nation's largest airlines reported no flights in October
with tarmac delays of more than three hours, down from 11 flights
in October 2009, with a slight decrease in the rate of canceled
flights, according to the Air Travel Consumer Report released today
by the U.S. DOT. This is the first month there were no
tarmac delays of more than three hours by the reporting carriers
since the Department began collecting more comprehensive tarmac
delay data in October 2008.
Data filed with the Bureau of
Transportation Statistics (BTS) showed there have been only 12
total tarmac delays of more than three hours reported from May
through October this year by the 18 airlines that file on-time
performance data with DOT, compared to 546 during the same
five-month period of 2009. October was the sixth full month
of data since the new aviation consumer rule went into effect on
April 29. BTS is a part of DOT's Research and Innovative Technology
Administration (RITA).
The largest carriers canceled 0.97 percent of their scheduled
domestic flights in October, down from the 0.99 percent
cancellation rate of October 2009. They posted a 0.90 percent
cancellation rate in September 2010. The number of canceled
flights with tarmac delays of more than two hours increased only
slightly this year, from 224 between May and October 2009 to 230
between May and October 2010. There were five canceled
flights with tarmac delays of more than two hours in October 2010,
slightly up from the total of four in October 2009.
"October was the first month that there were no tarmac delays
lasting longer than three hours since our rule was adopted. We
appreciate the effort that the airlines are putting into making
this new rule work effectively for the benefit of their
passengers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood
said.
The new tarmac delay 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.
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, it has
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.
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