Airlines’ rates of performance down, DOT says

ATLANTA (AP) — U.S. airlines’ on-time performance, baggage handling and domestic cancellation rates were not as good in November compared with the previous month, but still improved over a year earlier, the Transportation Department said Wednesday. It also said it received fewer complaints about service.

As airlines have cut capacity and made other changes, generally they have been able to cut delays and do a better job handling bags. But some have struggled.

Regional carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines, which had the worst on-time performance in October, again had the worst on-time performance in November, while Hawaiian Airlines had the best in November.

The DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics said the 19 carriers reporting on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 83.3 percent in November, an improvement over November 2007’s 80 percent rate but below the 86 percent recorded in October 2008.

Carriers in November canceled 0.8 percent of scheduled domestic flights, below the 1 percent cancellation rate of November 2007 but up from the 0.6 percent rate posted in October 2008.

The overall mishandled baggage rate of 3.75 reports per 1,000 passengers in November was an improvement over November 2007’s 4.90 reports but up from October 2008’s 3.55.

The 532 complaints about airline service from consumers was down 34.3 percent from the 810 complaints filed in November 2007 and 15.2 percent fewer than the 627 received in October 2008.