Surprise? We hate to fly...and it shows!
A U.S. Department of Transportation report shows that more consumers are complaining about their air travel experiences. Although delays, cancellations, and lost bags decreased in November, complaints are up over 37% from last year.
The report shows:
Overall, 80% of airplanes arrive on-time. This is better than last year's 76.5% on-time rate.
Airlines canceled 1% of scheduled flights.
4.89 fliers per 1,000 report mishandled (lost or destroyed) baggage, down from 6.32 per 1,000 last year.
The three airlines with the worst on-time arrival rates were United, American, and Atlantic Southeast. Those with the best on-time record were Hawaiian, Aloha, and Delta.
The airlines also submit data that explains the delays and cancellations, often citing weather problems or aviation system delays. I question how accurate those statistics are, based upon my experience as a traveler. How many times have you been on a flight that was delayed, supposedly due to weather, but you later found out the skies were sunny on both ends?
