Airline On-Time Performance Is Up

A nationally recognized reporter, writer, and consumer advocate, Ed Perkins focuses on how travelers can find the best deals and avoid scams.

He is the author of "Online Travel" (2000) and "Business Travel: When It's Your Money" (2004), the first step-by-step guide specifically written for small business and self-employed professional travelers. He was also the co-author of the annual "Best Travel Deals" series from Consumers Union.

Perkins' advice for business travelers is featured on MyBusinessTravel.com, a website devoted to helping small business and self-employed professional travelers find the best value for their travel dollars.

Perkins was founding editor of Consumer Reports Travel Letter, one of the country's most influential travel publications, from which he retired in 1998. He has also written for Business Traveller magazine (London).

Perkins' travel expertise has led to frequent television appearances, including ABC's "Good Morning America" and "This Week with David Brinkley," "The CBS Evening News with Dan Rather," CNN, and numerous local TV and radio stations.

Before editing Consumer Reports Travel Letter, Perkins spent 25 years in travel research and consulting with assignments ranging from national tourism development strategies to the design of computer-based tourism models.

Born in Evanston, Illinois, Perkins lives in Ashland, Oregon with his wife.

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U.S. airlines scored record results for on-time performance, fewest cancellations, fewest tarmac delays, and fewest bags mishandled during the first half of 2012, says the latest Air Travel Consumer Report from the Department of Transportation (DOT).

Despite this good performance, complaints increased. Among the highlights:

On-time rate: best, Hawaiian (93 percent); worst, United (79 percent).

Mishandled baggage reports (per 1,000 passengers): best, Virgin America (0.88); worst, American Eagle (5.52).

Involuntary denied boarding (bumping), per 10,000 passengers: best, JetBlue (0.01); worst, Mesa (2.48).

Tarmac delays longer than three hours: four; down from 35 in 2012 (after the tarmac delay penalties were instituted) and 586 in pre-penalty 2009.

Complaints per 100,000 enplanements: best, Southwest (O.25); worst, United (3.76).

All in all, the industry performed well, although some individual airlines still fared poorly. Given that performance, why are complaints increasing? Media speculation to date suggests that travelers are increasingly unhappy about the proliferation of fees and the crowded planes resulting from all-time-high load factors.

If you’re into the details, you can see (and download) the entire report from the DOT website.

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