U.S. airlines still struggling with flight delays

U.S. airlines' on-time performance, baggage handling and domestic cancellation rates were not as good in November compared to the previous month, but still improved over a year earlier, said the U.S. Transportation Department.

The agency also said it received fewer complaints about airline service.

As airlines have cut capacity and made other changes, generally they have been able to cut delays and do a better job handling bags. But some have struggled compared to their peers.

Regional carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines, which had the worst on-time performance in October, again had the worst on-time performance in November, with only 75.3 percent of its flights on time. Hawaiian Airlines had the best on-time performance in November, with 89.59 percent of flights on time. Seattle-based Alaska Airlines was in the lower range, with 81.37 of flights on time.

The DOT's Bureau of Transportation Statistics said the 19 carriers reporting on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 83.3 percent in November, an improvement over November 2007's 80 percent rate but below the rate of 86 percent recorded in October 2008.

The agency said the carriers in November canceled 0.8 percent of their scheduled domestic flights, below the 1 percent cancellation rate of November 2007 but higher than the 0.6 percent rate posted in October 2008.

The airlines overall had a mishandled baggage rate of 3.75 reports per 1,000 passengers in November, an improvement over November 2007's rate of 4.90 reports per 1,000 passengers but up from October 2008's rate of 3.55 reports per 1,000 passengers.

The DOT said that in November it received 532 complaints about airline service from consumers, down 34.3 percent from the 810 complaints filed in November 2007 and 15.2 percent fewer than the total of 627 received in October 2008.

Atlanta-based Atlantic Southeast Airlines, had the lowest on-time arrival rate in November, at 75.3 percent.

Hawaiian topped the list with a November on-time arrival rate of 89.6 percent, while discount carrier Southwest Airlines had the second-highest on-time arrival rate in the month, at 87.2 percent, and Northwest Airlines, a unit of Delta, had the third-highest on-time arrival rate, at 86.8 percent.

Alaska Airlines flights were on time 81.37 percent of the time.

U.S. airlines lost billions of dollars in 2008 despite the rapid decline in fuel prices in the last few months of the year. Weakening demand for seats amid the global financial crisis was a key reason for the losses. Some analysts are predicting airlines will be profitable this year if fuel prices remain low and demand does not weaken too much more.