Airlines set on-time arrival record in November

As you know, Thanksgiving occurs in November and that holiday's short travel window leads to extraordinary demands on our nation's airlines and air traffic control network. So, it's a pleasure to say that, in November 2009, U.S. airlines set a record for on-time arrivals.

As I've written on these pages, this DOT is very concerned about protecting air travelers, as passengers and as consumers. And, we've taken several recent actions toward that end. But it's only fair to report relatively positive aviation performance news as well.

And it's crucial to note that we cannot be satisfied with any report that shows on-time arrivals at anything less than 100%--excluding weather-related delays.

The data comes to us from from our Bureau of Transportation Statistics, part of our Research and Innovative Technology Administration. BTS does a great job collecting, analyzing and reporting data from all over the transportation spectrum, but I particularly like the simple boldness of their vision:

"To be the premier provider of transportation statistical knowledge"

In further positive news, BTS reports that baggage handling in November was also at its best, and tarmac delays were down.

Now, I'm not trying to say DOT is the cause of this uptick in airline performance. Nor, as with flight delays, should anyone be satisfied with any level of baggage mishandling.

One good month must not lead anyone to think our consumer protection work is done. As USA Today reports, good weather makes on-time arrivals a lot easier. December's snows may spell less rosy outcomes when BTS reports those results.

We'll let you know. And, more importantly, whatever next month's data tells us, we'll stay on the job of protecting air passengers and aviation consumers.

Comments

[Michael E. Bailey]

This is good news. It shows the airlines are concerned with keeping good public relations and meeting federal requirements all to provide the best and safest possible level of service. My experience with U.S. airlines is they have been good about handling baggage and passengers. I have not had any baggage lost. I can recall several incidents that happened to other group members when we went on week trips as a disabled group usually to overseas points. I remember the first trip I went on, we went from LA International to London Heathrow but my roommate's luggage went on to Frankfurt, Germany and he got it back home about 6 weeks after we got back from London. His mother who went with us had to get him all new everything while we were in London. And 2 things happened on the trip we went on to Alaska at Vancouver, B.C. Airport on the way home. One of the girls that went got a hunting knife in one of the stores we went to in Alaska. The store would have mailed it to her, but our staff person told her she could put it in her suit case and ship it. Her suitcase with the knife in it went down the belt toward the basement baggage room and set off the alarm about halfway down. The RCMPs took her to the jail and held her until time for our plane to take off. She got back just in time to get on but she had to carry the knife in a cardboard box on her lap taped in red tape with signs that she was holding dangerous goods. On the same trip home, it turned out there was a mix up between the travel agent and the airline and the lfight we were supposed to get on was already booked so we had to wait for the next flight to Los Angeles. That was back in October of 2000. And we went to London in the fall of 1999. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[limousine orlando]

We may be seeing a bit of airline delays in the wake of the Christmas Day scare, but according to the Associated Press, the government says that our nation’s airlines have set an on-time record in November 2009.

[portcanaveral]

The Transportation Department said on-time arrival performance for the first 11 months of 2009 was the best since 2003 and the third best in the 15 years that the government has been keeping track. The only years with higher on-time percentages were 2002 and 2003, when there were fewer travelers in the aftermath of the September 2001 terror attacks.

[Skip O]

The improvements are admirable, indeed. Inclusion of the numbers of travelers, the number of flights involved, and the miles flown would make the improvement statistics even more impressive. They would make it easier to visualize the numbers of people directly affected.

[Corey]

Very impressive, kudos for all agencies, airlines and passengers. I guess the only losers were the turkeys. November was however a mild weather month last year, I wonder how the airlines are coping with the current tough weather on the east coast.
Great achievement, everyone seams to travel in November.