Latest FAA statistics confirm that air travel has reached a new low. In the first third of 2007, over one-quarter of flights within the U.S. were late on arrival, and almost 70,000 flights were canceled. And this despite many airlines padding their arrival times to give them a generous cushion against delays.
Nearly half of the delays were weather-related, including the Denver snowstorm debacle that sent JetBlue's (NASDAQ: JBLU) reputation for customer service plummeting. Even in April, after the weather improved, JetBlue was second only to US Airways in lowest on-time arrivals, at 64.8%. Comair joined the tardy trio with 67.9% on-time arrivals.
US Airways (NYSE: LCC), which I've nicknamed "Air Mañana," operated four of the six most frequently delayed flights in April. These six flights you most want to avoid:
1. US Airways flight 1543 from Boston to Charlotte, NC – late 100% of the time. A perfect score!
2. Comair flight 5463 from New York JFK to Buffalo, NY – late 96.67% of the time
3. SkyWest Airlines flight 2570 from Columbus, OH to Milwaukee – late 96.15% of the time
4. US Airways flight 1582 from Charlotte, NC to Newark, NJ – late 95.83% of the time
5. Comair flight 5625 from New York JFK to Jacksonville, FL – late 93.75% of the time
5. US Airways flight 656 from Washington Reagan National to Phoenix – late 93.75% of the time
5. US Airways flight 619 from Atlanta to Las Vegas – late 93.75% of the time
These statistics jibe perfectly with the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index stats that show airlines finished behind the IRS in customer service.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-05-2007 @ 11:44AM
carlo frazzano said...
The airline delays are only a symptom for the rest of America - you pay more for less ! Less service, less product and many times less quality.
Airlines seem to be holding flights to the last minute to maximize seating occupancy and are functioning with less people resulting in much poorer service not to speak of the horrible seven course meals - six peanuts and a soda. Lost baggage is at a record high which I can't understand considering the simple task of reading a flight label and putting the baggage on the right cart.
You think airlines are bad for service, have you tried to get through to a bank department or credit card company to resolve an overcharge issue? The hidden fees and sur charges continue to be added by American business many times by double percentage digits resulting in even poorer service.
6-05-2007 @ 4:48PM
Rick said...
It is time to re-regulate the airlines. They have dumped their employee pensions on the tax payers ( http://www.heritage.org/Research/SocialSecurity/wm1182.cfm ), they have been bailed out with billions of tax payers dollars ( http://www.slate.com/?id=116288 ), their service is horrific. They have not kept up their part of the deal with regard to more jet service to more cities and they are the cause of delays at major airports with their scheduling or lack of.