April Airline On-Time Performance Up, Cancellations Down From Previous Year, March

WASHINGTON – The nation’s largest airlines posted an on-time arrival rate of 79.6 percent in April, up from both the 77.3 percent on-time rate posted in April 2013 and the 77.6 percent on-time rate posted in March 2014, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report released today. 

In addition, the reporting carriers canceled 1.1 percent of their scheduled domestic flights in April, down from both the 1.8 percent cancellation rate posted in April 2013 and the 1.9 percent rate posted in March 2014.  

The consumer report also includes data on tarmac delays, chronically delayed flights, and the causes of flight delays filed with the Department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics by the reporting carriers.  In addition, the consumer report contains information on mishandled baggage reports filed by consumers with the carriers and airline service complaints received by the Department’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division.  The consumer report also includes reports of incidents involving the loss, death, or injury of pets traveling by air, as required to be filed by U.S. carriers.  

A news release on the Air Travel Consumer Report is available at http://www.dot.gov/briefing-room/april-airline-time-performance-cancellations-down-previous-year-march.  The full consumer report is available at www.dot.gov/individuals/air-consumer/air-travel-consumer-reports.  Detailed information on flight delays is available at www.bts.gov.