On-time flight rate hits a 12-year low

U.S. airlines managed only 72.5% of flights on time this year through April, the worst rate since the federal government began keeping track in the current format in 1995.

The 20 largest carriers coped with storms and a surge in traffic, causing a rise in delays. The previous low was 72.6% for the first four months of 1996, the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics said Monday.

The Federal Aviation Administration and airlines are trying to avoid gridlock as they await increased funding from Congress to speed the overhaul of air traffic control equipment. The FAA said May 23 it was expanding use of procedures this summer that allow carriers to fly around thunderstorms.

The three New York-area airports had the highest percentage of delays this year through April. Only 55% of flights arrived on time at Newark, 58.1% at La Guardia and 59.7% at Kennedy.

Airlines’ on-time rate of 75.7% in April was their worst for the month since 2000. US Airways Group Inc. had the lowest rate, at 63.1%, followed by JetBlue Airways Corp. at 64.8%. Flights are considered on time if they are within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival.

The April rate was a decrease from 78.4% a year earlier.