NPR reported yesterday that only 72 percent of domestic flights were on time in the first four months of 2007. This is the lowest percentage in the 12 years this statistic was tracked.

Of the delayed flights only 3.6% were due to weather. 2.8% of all flights were canceled.

The number of flights and passengers are back to pre 9/11 and dot.com bust levels. But is this the cause of most of the delays?
25.8% of the delays were due to the airlines. 29.8% were due to planes arriving late. Common practices such as overbooking passengers, scheduling more flights than an airport can handle and reducing their workforce contribute to this problem.

Airlines are not changing because the demand is out there. Even though airlines are increasing the prices, people are still purchasing tickets. There is no reason for airlines to change how they do business.

Are Any Airlines Better Than Others?

Delays by major airlines for the past 12 months ending April 30, 2007.

  • Southwest 84.1%
  • Delta 81.1%
  • Skywest 81.6%
  • Northwest 73.8%
  • Continental 72.7%
  • United 72.7%
  • American 69.8%
  • JetBlue 64.2%
  • USAir 63.1%

Sources: