Fewer Flight Delays, Cancellations Recorded In November

The nation’s largest air carriers recorded fewer flight delays and cancellations in November 2002 than in November 2001 or October 2002, according to the monthly Air Travel Consumer Report just issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT). 

Flight Delays 

According to information filed with the department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), the 10 largest U.S. carriers currently required to report on-time performance posted an 85.2 percent on-time arrival record in November, better than both November 2001’s 84.7 percent mark and October 2002’s 84.2.

On-time doesn't necessarily mean on-budget.

US Airways had the best on-time arrival rate in November at 88.7 percent, followed by United Airlines at 87.9 and American Airlines at 87.6. American Eagle Airlines had the lowest percentage of on-time flights in November at 79.3 percent, with Alaska Airlines ranked ninth at 80.2 and America West Airlines eighth at 80.6.

No real klinkers in the schedules, either.

The monthly report normally contains a list of regularly scheduled flights that were late at least 80 percent of the time.  During November 2002, however, no flights were late this frequently, and, as a result, the list is blank. The only previous reports in which this table contained no flights were those for September 2002 and September 2001, with the latter report containing on-time data only for Sept. 1-10 and therefore covering insufficient operations to generate the table.

The report contains a note reminding consumers that flight delays can be caused by a variety of factors. The data on which this report is based do not identify the causes, only the occurrence, of flight delays.

These official on-time data are distinct from the data compiled by the FAA, which records delays while aircraft are under control of the air traffic control system (i.e., from actual gate pushback time to actual gate arrival time). FAA data cover delays caused by weather and aircraft volume, for example, but do not cover delays at the gate such as those caused by aircraft mechanical problems, crew unavailability or many weather conditions affecting flights before they depart. The FAA data are useful for managing the air traffic control system but are not designed to measure airline passenger delays.  

Flight cancellations down, as weather, newer fleet, stable labor climate, helped...

The consumer report also includes BTS data on the number of domestic flights canceled by the reporting carriers. In November, the carriers canceled 0.9 percent of their scheduled domestic flights, fewer than both November 2001’s 1.1 percent and October’s 1.0 percent. Alaska had the highest rate of canceled flights in November at 2.8 percent, followed by American Eagle at 2.6 and Southwest Airlines at 1.1. Continental Airlines had the lowest percentage of cancellations at 0.2 percent, followed by United at 0.4 and US Airways, also at 0.4 but a fraction of a percentage point higher than United’s rate.   

Mishandled baggage numbers may have bottomed out for now.

In November, the 10 U.S. airlines required to file flight delay and mishandled baggage data posted a mishandled baggage rate of 3.16 reports per 1,000 passengers, much better than November 2001’s rate of 3.75 but slightly higher than October’s 3.09. 

Complaints: Airline Service

The department received 519 complaints from consumers about airline service in November, almost unchanged from both November 2001’s total of 517 and October’s 518.

Complaints: Treatment of Passengers With Disabilities

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 31 disability-related complaints in November, a 158 percent increase over the total of 12 recorded in November 2001, but 42.6 percent fewer than the 54 filed in October.  

Complaints: Discrimination

Consumers registered five complaints in November alleging discrimination by airlines due to factors other than disability – such as race, religion, national origin or sex – 72.2 percent below the total of 18 filed in November 2001 and identical to the total of five complaints filed in October.

How YOU can complain:

Consumers may file their complaints in writing with the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-75, 400 7th St., S.W., Room 4107, Washington, D.C. 20590, by e-mail at airconsumer@ost.dot.gov, by voice mail at (202) 366-2220 or by TTY at (202) 366-0511.

FMI: www.bts.gov/ntda/oai, http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov