Airlines Able to Improve On-Time Performance Rating

Many of the most well known airlines in the United States have been able to improve their on-time performance rating. Among the most well known carriers, United Airlines had the best overall record. It would seem that regional airlines, overall, had the worst rating.

United States airlines had their best January in almost four years when it comes to arriving on time. The United States Transportation Department said just this past Tuesday that airlines were able to average a 78.7 percent on-time arrival rate in January.

Despite the fact that United had the best on time arrival rating among the most well known airlines, it was Hawaiian Airlines that found itself, again, among the top players. A lot of this has to do with the fact that Hawaiian Airlines finds itself largely isolated from the bad weather that has been plaguing carriers on the mainland.

The airlines in the United States that posted the worst on-time arrival ratings were American Eagle, Comair and Pinnacle – all of which ware regional carriers. They were barely able to post above 70 percent in terms of their on-time rating.

The Transportation Department did say that only two flights were stuck on the tarmac for four hours or more in January. Both of these flights belonged to Delta Air Lines. New rules that are set to come into affect next month would see airlines fined up to $27,500 per passenger for delaying flights more than three hours without giving passengers a chance to get off the plane. There is a chance that this new fine could lead to a lot more canceled flights instead of delayed ones.