For the first month of 2017, Delta employees ran a strong operation, highlighted by a second place ranking in on-time performance and third place ranking in completion factor, despite 11 days in the month with irregular operations, driven in large part by inclement weather in Atlanta and New York.
The January 2017 results, outlined in the March issue of the Department of Transportation Air Travel Consumer Report issued Tuesday, show 80.7 percent of Delta flights arriving within 14 minutes of arrival time, the government’s definition of on-time. Hawaiian Airlines, which is relatively unexposed to weather and air traffic control constraints on the U.S. mainland, ranked No. 1 with 85.7 percent of flights arriving on-time. American Airlines took the third place spot with 79.2 percent.1
Despite weather impacts as well as a technology outage at the end of the month, Delta ranked third in completion factor—the industry measure of cancellations—behind first place Hawaiian and second place United, the latter of which was buoyed by a record zero snowfall in Chicago, the airline’s second largest hub. Hawaiian completed 99.7 percent of flights, with United at 99.5 percent and Delta at 98.9 percent. Delta ran 18 days in January without a mainline cancellation anywhere in the system.2
On the baggage front, Delta took the No. 5 spot with a 3.08 reports of mishandled bags per 1,000 enplaned customers. Spirit Airlines had the fewest mishandled bags, followed by Virgin America, JetBlue and Alaska Airlines.3
[1] Based on DOT Air Travel Consumer March 2017 Report statistics for January 2017. On-time arrival based on domestic flights flown, compared to all carriers reporting to the DOT.
[2] Based on DOT Air Travel Consumer March 2017 Report statistics for January 2017. Completion rate based on domestic flights scheduled, compared to all carriers reporting to the DOT.
[3] Based on DOT Air Travel Consumer March 2017 Report statistics for January 2017 with respect to mishandled bags per 1,000 enplanements for domestic flights scheduled.
