Almost 30 percent of flights run late, signaling summer-travel trouble

Flight delays were widespread in March, the U.S. Transportation Department reported today, signaling trouble ahead as the summer travel season approaches.

Nearly 30 percent of domestic flights arrived late in March, compared to about 27 percent in March, 2007, the agency said. It was the worst March on record since the department started collecting comparable data in 1995.

Bad weather and heavy traffic volume slowed flights, the report said. Another reason, the Associated Press reported, is that airlines are replacing big planes with smaller ones to fly with fewer empty seats. That crowds the skies and gates.

Hawaiian Airlines had the best on-time record among 19 airlines surveyed, with almost 95 percent of its flights arriving on schedule. American Airlines' record was the worst. Just 62 percent of its flights arrived on time.

Seattle-based Alaska Airlines ranked third best, with 78 percent of its flights arriving on schedule. The airline canceled just under 1 percent of its flights, compared to an average 2.6 percent for the 19 airlines surveyed. American Eagle had the highest percentage of cancellations, 5.9 percent, followed by American Airlines at 5.6 percent.

Of the total flights departing out of Seattle-Tacoma Airport in March, 78 percent left on time, and 72 percent arrived on time. Chances of flights leaving on time were best in the early morning. Nearly 90 percent of flights leaving Sea-Tac between 6 a.m.-9 a.m. departed on schedule. The worst period for on-time departures was 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. when just 61 percent of flights left on time.

Complaints about missing or mishandled bags dropped slightly compared to March a year ago. The airlines averaged 6.7 complaints per 1,000 passengers, down from 7.7 in March, 2007.

Alaska ranked sixth-best, reporting 5 baggage complaints per 1,000. Hawaiian had the fewest complaints, just 2.5 per 1,000. Atlantic Southeast Airlines had the most, nearly 16 per 1,000 passengers.

Carol Pucci: 206-464-3701 or cpucci@seattletimes.com