US airlines improve on time performance in July

The July 2008 on-time arrival rate for U.S. carriers was the best performance for the month of July in four years, and is being attributed to reductions in both air traffic and scheduling issues.

At 75.7 percent, the on-time rate rose from the 69.8 percent performance of July in 2007, according to U.S. Department of Transportation statistics released on Wednesday.

Airlines in the U.S. have reduced capacity by 2.7 percent for the year to date, largely in response to the unexpectedly high cost of fuel and a decrease in demand for seats, according to a report from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. For July of last year, the most significant cause of delays was the late arrival of aircraft from a prior flight.

“There are fewer and fewer flights to choose from as carriers continue to cut costs,” said the chairman of the American Association of Airport Executives, Jim Elwood. “Passengers will have fewer travel options this fall.”

For the first seven months of 2008, the on-time rate for all U.S. airlines was 73.7 percent, as compared with 72.2 percent for the same period in 2007. So far this year, 2008 is ranking as the third-worst year in the last 14 in terms of delays. The figures were first recorded 14 years ago.

The Delta commuter airline, Comair, had the worst on-time rate for July, at 63.3 percent, and was followed closely by JetBlue, which had a performance rating of 64.6 percent. Pinnacle, another commuter carrier, came in with the best on-time rate, at 85.6 percent.

www.dot.gov