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Industry Trends/Innovations
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On-time performance improves; DOT IG attributes to flight cutbacks
First quarter on-time arrival rates continue to trend upward for North American carriers. The following list ranks airlines based on their ability to arrive on time in accord with industry standards—meaning a flight arrives at or departs from the designated gate no more than 15 minutes later than the scheduled time. (U.S. airline statistics are compiled by the Department of Transportation’s [DOT] Bureau of Transportation Statistics.)
- Hawaiian Airlines - 91.2
- Southwest Airlines - 85.1
- Pinnacle Airlines - 83.2
- United Airlines - 80.4
- Northwest Airlines - 80.3
- SkyWest Airlines - 80.2
- US Airways - 79.6
- Frontier Airlines - 79.2
- JetBlue Airlines - 78.4
- American Airlines - 78.0
- Delta Air Lines - 77.8
- AirTran Airways - 77.4
- American Eagle - 77.4
- Mesa Airline - 77.0
- ExpressJet Airlines - 76.9
- Continental Airlines - 76.4
- Air Canada - 72.6
- Alaska Airlines - 72.6
- Comair - 69.1
- Atlantic Southeast - 68.9
In written testimony prepared for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Aviation, DOT inspector general (IG) Calvin Scovel III attributed the 2008/09 performance improvements primarily to flight cutbacks, not government initiatives to alleviate congestion.
At the May hearing, the Scovell laid out several opinions for the aviation subcommittee, the following among them:
- “The air travel experience in 2008…improved over 2007,” and carriers continue to post year-over-year on-time performance improvements in 2009.
- Trends “were primarily driven by flight cutbacks that airlines implemented in the face of last year’s unprecedented fuel prices and onset of the global economic downturn.”
- Other contributing factors to the improved numbers included: scheduling practices, passenger volume, new runways at Washington-Dulles, Chicago O’Hare, and Seattle-Tacoma airports, and that, “ Airlines also claim that new fees for checked bags have reduced the number of bags handled by the airlines and aided in the more timely operation of flights.”
- Scovel expects on-time performance to hold or even improve further but predicts the delays will resume when passenger volumes again increase. And, “Although the current delay statistics and customer service trends look favorable, history shows that traffic will rebound given the intrinsic value of air transport to the nation’s livelihood. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the current positive trend can be sustained.”
Scovel further explained that enhancing capacity and reducing delays system-wide “ultimately depends on the development and implementation of the Next Generation Air Traffic Management System…h owever this is a long-term complex effort that will require billion-dollar investments from both the FAA and airspace users.”
Sources: forbestraveler.com, Dallas Business Journal, BTS.gov, BTNonline, aircanada.com
Sending and receiving email at 35,000 feet
Some air carriers in the United States and Canada will be offering in-flight wireless Internet access on all flights within the next two years. California-based Virgin America has already accomplished this goal, and AirTran Airways expects to enable Wi-Fi on all flights by late July. The largest U.S. carriers, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, offer Wi-Fi today on some flights and indicate that all flights will be equipped by 2011. United Airlines and Air Canada will begin installing the service later this year.
Expanding the use of Wi-Fi gives airlines another source of revenue, and travelers another resource for productivity on flights. Charges for Wi-Fi may vary based on the device being used—s uch as smartphones or handheld devices, vs. laptop computers. Charges may also vary by the length of the flight.
Travelers should be prepared to register with the applicable Wi-Fi service, either at the airport terminal kiosk or in flight through the Wi-Fi enabled personal device. Carriers suggest that travelers fully charge their devices before traveling. Travelers may also consider bringing a "cigarette lighter" style power adapter for recharging while in-flight (power availability may vary based on aircraft type).
Sources: New York Times, USA Today
