Airlines' On-time Performance Falters In October

HARRY R. WEBER

ATLANTA (AP) — U.S. airlines did a poorer job getting passengers to their destinations on-time in October compared to the same month a year ago.

The Department of Transportation said Tuesday that the 19 carriers surveyed recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 77.3 percent in October. That was lower than the 86 percent recorded in October 2008 and below the 86.2 percent recorded in September of this year.

Hawaiian Airlines had the best on-time performance in October, with a 93.4 percent rate, followed by Alaska Airlines at 85.8 percent and JetBlue Airways at 82.9 percent.

Delta Air Lines subsidiary Northwest Airlines was worst, with a 69.3 percent on-time record. Atlantic Southeast Airlines was slightly better than that at 71.6 percent and ExpressJet Airlines was at 72.6 percent.

The DOT said that in October, 41.1 percent of late flights were delayed by weather, up from the same month a year ago when 34.5 percent of late flights had weather delays.

The government said the cancellation rate was higher in October compared to a year ago, and the agency received more complaints about airline service than a year ago as well.

The airlines' mishandled baggage rate improved year-over-year.