Major airlines improved their on-time performance in January, the U.S. Department of Transportation has reported. The largest domestic carriers reported that 77.6 percent of their flights were on time during the month, compared to 70.2 percent in December. This was a slight improvement over January 1989 when the on-time figure was 76.7 percent.
ON-TIME PERFORMANCE
Percent of flights arriving within 15 minutes of scheduled time.
Airline Dec. Jan.
1. Southwest 81.6 82.5
2. TWA 67.8 81.4
3. Pan American 73.5 81.3
4. Northwest 76.7 81.0
5. American 74.1 80.8
6. Continental 71.6 79.5
7. Alaska 69.7 76.4
8. United 70.7 76.4
9. America West 72.9 75.8
10. Delta 71.4 75.3
CHRONICALLY LATE FLIGHTS
Percent of flights that were late more than 70 percent of the time.
Airline Dec. Jan.
1. America West 2.3 2.1
2. Alaska 2.6 1.8
3. USAir 8.1 1.8
4. Continental 3.2 1.1
5. Eastern 3.1 0.8
6. Delta 1.8 0.8
7. United 1.2 0.5
8. Pan American 1.5 0.4
9. American 0.4 0.3
10. Southwest 0.4 0.3
CONSUMER COMPLAINTS
Rate of consumer complaints per 100,000 airline passengers
Airline Dec. Jan.
1. Pan American 4.09 6.98
2. Eastern 2.73 4.72
3. USAir 2.17 4.29
4. Hawaiian 4.54 4.21
5. Markair N.A. 3.99
6. Continental 1.62 3.75
7. American Trans 0.84 3.46
8. Tower 0 2.69
9. Midway 0.67 2.39
10. American West 1.09 2.10
12. United 1.09 1.74
Note: Midway is notn among the airlines reporting on-time performance and chronically late flights.
Chicago Tribune Graphic; Source: U.S. Department of Transportation.
