Complaints About Airlines Hit 4-Year Low

Consumer complaints against the nation’s airlines declined dramatically in December to the lowest level in four years, but the on-time record of the 13 largest carriers dipped six percentage points from the previous month, the Transportation Department reported Thursday.

The on-time mark had held above 80% for seven previous months, including October’s 83.4% but fell to 77.7% in November as winter weather set in, the department said.

The monthly performance reports also showed that a slight increase in November for mishandled baggage, with 6.17 reports per 1,000 passengers, compared to 6.09 a month earlier.

The department said it received 724 consumer complaints about the airlines in December, down 40% from November and the fewest recorded since December, 1984, when the total was 552. For the year, the 23,844 complaints represented a healthy 47% improvement over 1987.

Although the complaint statistics are released at the same time as the on-time and mishandled-baggage data, they routinely represent different months, since the complaint figures are more quickly compiled.

Eastern Airlines, which early this year was consistently among the worst on-time performers, had the best record in November, 85.3%. Eastern also led October’s list, with a 90.3% mark.

“On time” means within 15 minutes of scheduled arrival, and the records do not count flights delayed because of mechanical problems.

Eastern was followed by Delta, with an on-time record of 79.8% in November, and America West, at 79.2%. United had the worst mark of the major carriers, 73.8%, likely because of its concentration of flights into Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, plagued by congestion and air traffic control problems. Nearly one-third of all flights into O’Hare were delayed.

But the worst on-time arrival record among the airports belonged to San Francisco, with a mark of 59.4% for all flights.

The airports at Charlotte, N.C., Atlanta and Salt Lake City led the list for on-time arrivals, each exceeding 81%.

Piedmont registered the worst record for mishandled baggage, with 8.01 reports per 1,000 passengers. Southwest had the best mark, at 3.49.

AIRLINES’ ON-TIME PERFORMANCE Percentage of flights arriving on time during November. This is defined as arriving within 15 minutes of the scheduled time.

Airline % Eastern 85.3 Delta 79.8 America West 79.2 TWA 79.0 American 78.2 Pan Am 77.8 Piedmont 77.5 Continental 77.l Southwest 77.0 US Air 76.6 Alaska 74.4 Northwest 73.8 United 73.8

Source: Associated Press