Unfriendly skies? : Flight delays, mishandled-luggage incidents on the rise nationwide — XNA included
Posted on Thursday, February 7, 2008
If you’ve ever felt like pulling your hair out because flight delays caused you to miss a connection, arrive late to an important business meeting or cut into precious time with family over the holidays, you’re not alone.
Incidents of flight delays and mishandled baggage have risen steadily since 2003, and according to a report issued by the U. S. Department of Transportation on Tuesday, the number of incidents has continued to climb in 2007.
According to the U. S. DOT’s Bureau of Transportation statistics, the 20 leading commercial airlines posted an on-time-arrival record of 73. 4 percent in 2007, down from 75. 4 percent in 2006.
Those same carriers recorded a rate of 7. 03 reports of mishandled baggage per 1, 000 passengers last year, up from 2006 ’s rate of 6. 73. In addition, consumers filed 13, 168 complaints about airline service with the U. S. DOT, 58. 2 percent more than the 8, 325 filed in 2006.
Figures included in a report issued by the U. S. DOT on Tuesday show more than 2 million passenger flights arrived at their destinations a minimum of 15 minutes late in 2007, many of the flights significantly later.
As part of the release, the U. S. secretary of transportation estimated flight delays cost the U. S. economy approximately $ 15 billion per year.
The statistics logged over the course of the year at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport indicate local travelers have not been spared.
The combined on-time-arrival record posted by all carriers at XNA in 2007 was 64. 12 percent, with the worst month being February at 59. 5 percent and the best month being November at 78. 7 percent.
The percentage of on-time departures posted by all carriers at XNA in 2007 was 68. 98, with the worst month being February at 66. 5 percent and the best month being November at 81. 8 percent.
Both XNA numbers are significantly lower than the national average of 73. 4 in 2007.
American Eagle, the primary carrier at XNA, ranked 16 th among the 20 largest carriers in 2007, with an overall on-time-flight rate of 69. 1 percent.
And while its baggage-handling success rate went up nearly every month in 2007, compared to that posted in 2006, American Eagle still ranks 19 th among a field of 20.
The largest 20 carriers across the country posted a mishandled-baggage rate of 9. 01 reports per 1, 000 passengers in December 2007, up from 8. 93 percent in December 2006.
Combined statistics from commercial airports across the country show American Eagle chalked up a mishandled-baggage rate of 17. 43 reports per 1, 000 passengers in December 2007, a 2 percent improvement over December 2006. American Eagle improved from 12. 53 to 9. 24 in November, 15. 33 to 9. 57 in October and 17. 55 to 9. 90 in September, according to the U. S. DOT.
“ We’ve been working diligently to correct that situation, ” said Andrea Huguely, American Eagle communications specialist. “ We know there’s nothing more frustrating to a customer. In Chicago, we’ve changed over our baggage room, and we’re in the process of doing something similar in Dallas. Improving our baggage handling continues to be a priority. ”
XNA director Kelly Johnson agrees American Eagle has taken significant strides to improve its baggage-handling success rate.
“ I know American Eagle’s baggage handling has gotten better at this airport, ” Johnson said. “ I know they’ve worked really hard to concentrate on that. One thing you have to keep in mind is that a lot of airlines have had challenges with baggage because so much more of it is being checked instead of carried on since the new regulations regarding liquid. A lot of people don’t even want to mess around with the 3-ounce bottles of shampoo and lotion and medicine, so they just check that bag now. ”
Tightened rules and regulations and increased security since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, combined with the unstable economy causing airlines to cut the volume of flights offered in recent years, are factors Johnson believes have at least partially contributed to the rise in late arrivals and departures at XNA and nationwide.
“ You’re seeing some delays become more common because so much of the capacity has been cut from the system, ” Johnson said. “ It used to be that airlines would move people to another flight when there was a delay. Now, there aren’t as many options because there aren’t all those extra flights. When something goes awry, there aren’t as many options.
“ Some of the delays we experience here have nothing to do with what’s going on at XNA, ” she said. “ We know our New York flights are probably going to get backed up. LaGuardia and Newark only have so much runway to handle some pretty big loads. Then throw weather into the equation, and there’s not a lot we can do about it. That can end up backing things up for hours or even until the next day. ”
Johnson said XNA managed to keep its runway open during the icy weather conditions that moved across the majority of the country Jan. 31, but airports in Houston and other major cities across the South were backed up all day. Those backups translated into significant delays at XNA.
While weather and other factors cannot be controlled, the U. S. DOT is urging airlines to make the necessary steps to begin trending the other direction when it comes to on-time arrival and departure records.
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