Airlines' on-time rates slip in latest DOT report

WASHINGTON – Airlines were as punctual in October as they were in September, but their performance numbers lagged when compared to the same month a year earlier, the Transportation Department said Tuesday.

Flights arrived within 15 minutes of their schedules 85.5% of the time in October, which matched September, but fell short of the 87% from the same month a year earlier, according the monthly Air Travel Consumer Report. October is the latest month for which the federal data is available.

The most punctual airlines were Hawaiian, Delta and Alaska. The least punctual were Virgin America, JetBlue and Frontier.

Airlines canceled 1% of their flights in October, double the 0.5% rate from the same month a year earlier, and more than triple the 0.3% rate in September 2016, according to the report from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

The highest rates for canceled flights were at Spirit, JetBlue and Frontier. The lowest rates were at Hawaiian, Delta and Alaska.

The department is investigating two United Airlines flights for lengthy tarmac delays Oct. 30. Both flights were diverted. Flight 1024 from Tampa to Newark was sent to New York’s JFK airport, and delayed 239 minutes. Flight 1601 from Orlando to Newark was diverted to Richmond, and delayed 181 minutes.

But the department received fewer complaints against airlines, as they improved in handling bags and pets.

The 1,267 complaints filed in October was down 2.8% from September and 17% from the same month a year earlier.

Airlines reported mishandling 2.06 bags per 1,000 passengers in October. The rate compared to 2.23 in September and 2.45 for the same month a year earlier.

Airlines reported that three animals died and one was injured during October. That figure for animals that died, were injured or lost was down from five reports in September and up from three reports for the month in 2015.