...But Not As Good As October
The on-time performance
of the nation's largest airlines improved in November 2005 compared
to the same month last year -- although the carriers had a lower
percentage of on-time flights than in October, according to the Air
Travel Consumer Report released today by the U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT).
According to information filed with the Bureau of Transportation
Statistics (BTS) -- a part of DOT's Research and Innovative
Technology Administration (RITA) -- the 20 carriers reporting
on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of
80.0 percent in November, an improvement over November 2004's 79.1
percent but below October 2005's 81.3 percent.
The monthly report also includes data on flight cancellations
and causes of flight delays, as well as information on reports of
mishandled baggage filed with the carriers, and consumer service,
disability and discrimination complaints received by DOT's Aviation
Consumer Protection Division. The report also includes reports
required to be filed by U.S. carriers of incidents involving pets
traveling by air.
Cancellations
The consumer report includes BTS data on the number of domestic
flights canceled by the reporting carriers. In November, the
carriers canceled 1.0 percent of their scheduled domestic flights,
a smaller rate of cancellations than both November 2004's 1.2
percent and October 2005's 1.8 percent.
Causes of Flight Delays
The carriers filing
on-time performance data reported that 7.48 percent of their
November flights were delayed by aviation system delays, compared
to 6.37 percent in October 2005; 5.21 percent by late-arriving
aircraft, compared to 5.01 percent in October; 5.41 percent by
factors within the airline's control, such as maintenance or crew
problems, compared to 4.76 percent in October; 0.69 percent by
extreme weather, compared to 0.68 in October; and 0.03 percent for
security reasons, the same percentage as October. Weather is a
factor in both the extreme-weather category and the aviation-system
category. This includes delays due to the re-routing of flights by
DOT's Federal Aviation Administration in consultation with the
carriers involved. Weather is also a factor in delays attributed to
late-arriving aircraft, although airlines do not report specific
causes in that category.
Data collected by BTS also show the percentage of overall
flights delayed by weather, including those reported in either the
category of extreme weather or included in National Aviation System
delays. In November, 4.67 percent of flights were delayed by
weather, down 8.97 percent from November 2004, when 5.13 percent of
flights were delayed by weather, and up 12.26 percent from October
when 4.16 percent of flights were delayed by weather.
Mishandled Baggage
The U.S. carriers reporting flight delay and mishandled baggage
data posted a mishandled baggage rate of 5.00 reports per 1,000
passengers in November, higher than both November 2004's 4.53 rate
and October 2005's 4.90 mark.
Incidents Involving Pets
In November, carriers reported two incidents involving pets
while traveling by air -– one injury and one death -- down
from the five incidents reported in October. Carriers first began
reporting pet incidents in May 2005.
Complaints About Airline Service
In November, the
Department received 524 complaints from consumers about airline
service, up 21.8 percent from the total of 430 received in November
2004 but 20.1 percent fewer than the 656 filed in October 2005.
Complaints About Treatment of Disabled Passengers
The report also contains a tabulation of complaints filed with
DOT in November against specific airlines regarding the treatment
of passengers with disabilities. The Department received a total of
28 disability-related complaints in November, up 12 percent from
the 25 complaints received in November 2004 but 40.4 percent fewer
than the 47 filed in October 2005.
Complaints About Discrimination
In November, the Department received four complaints alleging
discrimination by airlines due to factors other than disability
– such as race, religion, national origin or sex –
fewer than both the five complaints received in November 2004 and
seven in October 2005.
Consumers who want on-time performance data for specific flights
should call their airline ticket offices, or their travel agents.
The report is available on the computerized reservation systems
used by these agents.
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