Airlines for America (A4A) Members Deliver Best First-Quarter On-Time Performance

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May 14, 2012, 11:48 ET

WASHINGTON, May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today reported the best industry on-time performance for the first three months of the year and the best baggage-handling performance for any March ever recorded.

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According to the Department of Transportation (DOT) Air Travel Consumer Report released today, 84 percent of flights arrived within 15 minutes of scheduled arrival time for the first quarter of 2012. The performance marked the all-time record for any first quarter since DOT began keeping on-time statistics in 1988. The previous record of 81.9 percent was set in 1992.

"Thanks to mild weather and operational improvements that our members continue to make, airlines set impressive on-time arrival records for two consecutive quarters, delivering strong results against what is most important to passengers: arriving safely on time and with their bags," said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio.

Also in March 2012, there were 3.09 reports of mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers, an all-time best for any March. This record represents a 7 percent improvement from March 2011. The statistic shows that nearly 99.7 percent of all U.S. airline passengers had their bags delivered on time.

The first quarter of 2012 also marked the seventh consecutive quarter in which airlines reported fewer than one bumped customer per 10,000 passengers.

ABOUT A4A

Annually, commercial aviation helps drive more than $1 trillion in U.S. economic activity and nearly 10 million U.S. jobs. A4A airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. For more information about the airline industry, visit www.airlines.org and follow us on Twitter @airlinesdotorg.

SOURCE Airlines for America