Monday, October 29, 2018

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today released its October 2018 Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on marketing and reporting air carrier data compiled for the month of August 2018. The full consumer report and other aviation consumer matters of interest to the public can be found at http://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer.

August On-Time Performance

In August 2018, marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 75.2 percent, down from the 76.0 percent on-time rate in July 2018. On-time numbers for marketing carriers were not reported in previous years.

Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates (ATCR Table 1)

Hawaiian Airlines Network – 90.0 percent Delta Air Lines Network – 80.4 percent Allegiant Air – 78.2 percent

Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates (ATCR Table 1)

Frontier Airlines – 61.4 percent JetBlue Airways – 66.7 percent United Airlines Network – 71.9 percent

In August 2018, reporting carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 75.6 percent, down from the 75.9 percent on-time rate in July 2018 and down from 77.1 percent in August 2017.

Highest Reporting Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates (ATCR Table 1A)

Hawaiian Airlines – 91.6 percent Delta Air Lines – 83.3 percent Allegiant Air – 78.2 percent

Lowest Reporting Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates (ATCR Table 1A)

Frontier Airlines – 61.4 percent JetBlue Airways – 66.7 percent United Airlines – 70.8 percent

August Cancellations

In August 2018, marketing carriers canceled 2.0 percent of their scheduled domestic flights, a higher rate than 1.8 percent in July 2018. Cancellation numbers for marketing carriers were not reported in previous years.

Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights (ATCR Table 6)

Allegiant Air – 0.2 percent Hawaiian Airlines Network – 1.2 percent Delta Air Lines Network – 1.3 percent

Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights (ATCR Table 6)

American Airlines Network – 2.9 percent JetBlue Airways – 2.6 percent Frontier Airlines – 2.5 percent

In August 2018, reporting carriers canceled 1.9 percent of their scheduled domestic flights, a higher rate than 1.7 percent in July 2018 but down from 2.2 percent in August 2017.

Lowest Reporting Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights (ATCR Table 6A)

Allegiant Air – 0.2 percent Delta Air Lines – 0.2 percent Hawaiian Airlines – 0.5 percent

Highest Reporting Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights (ATCR Table 6A)

Republic Airline – 5.3 percent Endeavor Air – 4.9 percent Envoy Air – 4.5 percent

Tarmac Delays

In August 2018, airlines reported 42 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to 29 such tarmac delays reported in July 2018 and nine tarmac delays reported in August 2017. In August 2018, airlines reported three tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to one such tarmac delay reported in July 2018 and two tarmac delays reported in August 2017. Extended tarmac delays are investigated by the Department.

Domestic Flights with Longest Tarmac Delays Exceeding Three Hours (ATCR Table 8)

Alaska Airlines flight 1065 from New York JFK to San Jose, Calif., 8/7/18 – delayed 4 hours and 20 minutes on the tarmac at New York JFK Delta Air Lines flight 1145 from New York LaGuardia to Detroit, 8/14/18 – delayed 4 hours and 18 minutes on the tarmac at New York LaGuardia Alaska Airlines flight 1027 from New York JFK to San Francisco, 8/7/18 – delayed 4 hours and 5 minutes on the tarmac at New York JFK.

International Flights with Longest Tarmac Delays Exceeding Four Hours (ATCR Table 8A)

American Airlines flight 822 from Georgetown, Grand Cayman to Charlotte, N.C., 8/2/18 – delayed 4 hours and 20 minutes on the tarmac at Knoxville, Tenn. after being diverted WestJet flight 7015 from New York LaGuardia to Toronto, 8/17/18 – delayed 4 hours and 10 minutes on the tarmac at New York LaGuardia Lufthansa flight 411 from New York JFK to Munich, Germany, 8/7/18 – delayed 4 hours and 3 minutes on the tarmac at New York JFK

Mishandled Baggage

In August 2018, the reporting carriers posted a mishandled baggage rate of 3.08 reports per 1,000 passengers, down slightly from the July 2018 rate of 3.11, but up from August 2017’s rate of 2.45.

Bumping/Oversales

Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly. Second quarter 2018 bumping/oversales data were released in the August 2018 Air Travel Consumer Report. January-September 2018 and third quarter 2018 bumping/oversales data will be available in the November 2018 Air Travel Consumer Report.

Incidents Involving Animals

In August 2018, U.S. airlines reported one incident involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, down from the five reports filed in August 2017, but up from the zero reports filed in July 2018. August’s incident involved the death of one animal.

Complaints About Airline Service

In August 2018, DOT received 1,725 complaints about airline service from consumers, down 9.6 percent from the total of 1,908 filed in August 2017, but up 3.6 percent from the 1,665 received in July 2018.

Complaints About Treatment of Disabled Passengers

In August 2018, the Department received a total of 90 disability-related complaints, down from the 99 complaints received in August 2017, but up from the 83 complaints received in July 2018. All complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of disability are investigated.

Complaints About Discrimination

In August 2018, the Department received four complaints alleging discrimination – two regarding race and two regarding national origin. This is a decrease from the total of 11 discrimination complaints recorded in August 2017 and the 14 recorded in July 2018. All complaints alleging discrimination are investigated to determine if there has been a violation(s) of the passenger’s civil rights.

Consumers may file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm, by voicemail at (202) 366-2220, or by TTY at (202) 366-0511. They may also mail a complaint to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-75, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.

Consumers who want on-time performance data for specific flights should call their airline’s reservation number or their travel agent. This information is available on the computerized reservation systems used by these agents. The information is also available on the appropriate carrier’s website.

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