Flight Delays At Worst Level In 13 Years

Airline passengers are facing the worst delays in at least 13 years, and no one is predicting clear skies ahead.

The Department of Transportation reported Monday that so far in 2007, nearly one-fourth of flights on the 20 largest carriers were late.

According to information filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the 20 carriers reporting on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 68.1 percent in June, down from both June 2006's 72.8 percent and May 2007's 77.9 percent.

The data also show that these carriers canceled 2.7 percent of their domestic scheduled flights in June, up from both June 2006's cancellation rate of 1.7 percent and May 2007's 1.1 percent.

Contributing to the delays is an increase in the demand for air travel. Weather also had its hand in making people late.

And one analyst said that, in the throes of financial troubles, U.S. airlines started relying more on smaller jets that are easier to pack full. That means more jets are crowding an already inundated system.

The airline industry blames the delays on the lack of a modern satellite-based air traffic control system. The 20 reporting airlines also cited aviation system delays and late-arriving aircraft.

During the first six months of this year, the U.S. carriers reporting data posted a mishandled baggage rate of 7.34 reports per 1,000 passengers, up from the 5.86 mishandled baggage rate recorded during January-June 2006.

In addition, the DOT received 1,094 complaints from consumers in June about airline service, up 43.4 percent from the 763 complaints received in June 2006 and 17.8 percent more than the total of 929 filed in May 2007.

Overall

• 68.1 percent on-time arrivals

Highest On-Time Arrival Rates

1. Hawaiian Airlines - 92.9 percent
2. Aloha Airlines - 86.8 percent
3. SkyWest Airlines - 77.9 percent

Lowest On-Time Arrival Rates

1. Atlantic Southeast Airlines - 56 percent
2. American Airlines - 57.9 percent
3. American Eagle Airlines - 60.5 percent

Most Frequently Delayed Flights

• Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight 4104 from Atlanta to Chattanooga, Tenn. - late 100 percent of the time
• Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight 4176 from Atlanta to Myrtle Beach, S.C. - late 100 percent of the time
• Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight 4415 from Chattanooga, Tenn., to Atlanta - late 100 percent of the time
• Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight 4415 from Atlanta to Hilton Head, S.C. - late 100 percent of the time
• Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight 4854 from Atlanta to Milwaukee - late 100 percent of the time
• Comair flight 5565 from New York JFK to Buffalo, N.Y. - late 100 percent of the time
• Delta Air Lines flight 1891 from New York JFK to Los Angeles - late 100 percent of the time
• Northwest Airlines flight 656 from Detroit to Newark, N.J. - late 100 percent of the time

Highest Rates Of Canceled Flights

1. Mesa Airlines - 6.4 percent
2. American Eagle Airlines - 5.9 percent
3. Northwest Airlines - 5.3 percent

Lowest Rates Of Canceled Flights

1. Hawaiian Airlines - 0.2 percent
2. Frontier Airlines - 0.4 percent
3. Southwest Airlines - 0.4 percent

• Full Report: Department Of Transportation