OST 14-22
Contact: pressoffice@dot.gov
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of February 2022 for on-time performance, mishandled baggage, mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, complaints received, and oversales. The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. It also contains information on complaints involving passenger and baggage security screening received by the Transportation Security Administration. The ATCR and other aviation consumer matters of interest to the public can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer.
In February, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to result in significant changes to airline schedules and operations. The 496,531 flights operated in February 2022 were 87.9% of the 564,614 flights operated in pre-pandemic February 2019. Operated flights in February 2022 were up 50.5% year-over-year from the 329,969 flights operated in February 2021 and down 6.0% month-over-month from the 528,070 flights operated in January 2022.
In February 2022, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 519,952 scheduled domestic flights, 23,421(4.5 %) of which were canceled. In February 2021, the same airlines reported 350,170 scheduled domestic flights, 20,201 (5.8%) of which were canceled. In January 2022, airlines scheduled 563,737 domestic flights, of which 35,667 (6.3%) were canceled.
February 2022 On-Time Arrival
In February 2022, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 76.6%, up from 75.3% in January 2022 and 73.8% in pre-pandemic February 2019. The year-to-date on-time arrival rate for 2022 is 75.9%.
Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates February 2022 (ATCR Table 1)
- Hawaiian Airlines – 87.1%
- Delta Air Lines Network – 82.8%
- Alaska Airlines Network– 82.8%
Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates February 2022 (ATCR Table 1)
- JetBlue Airways – 61.8%
- Allegiant Air – 65.1%
- Frontier Airlines – 68.0%
February 2022 Flight Cancellations
In February 2022, reporting marketing carriers canceled 4.5% of their scheduled domestic flights, lower than the rate of 6.3% in January 2022 and 3.1% in pre-pandemic February 2019.
Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights January 2022 (ATCR Table 6)
- Hawaiian Airlines – 0.2%
- Alaska Airlines Network – 1.5%
- Delta Air Lines Network– 2.4%
Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights January 2022 (ATCR Table 6)
- American Airlines Network – 7.2%
- Allegiant Air – 5.7%
- JetBlue Airways – 5.1%
Tarmac Delays
In February 2022, airlines reported eight tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to 14 tarmac delays reported in January 2022. In February 2022, airlines reported zero tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to five tarmac delays reported in January 2022.
Airlines are required to have and adhere to assurances that they will not allow aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international flights without providing passengers the option to deplane, subject to exceptions related to safety, security, and Air Traffic Control related reasons. An exception also exists for departure delays if the airline begins to return the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point to deplane passengers by those times.
Extended tarmac delays are investigated by the Department.
Mishandled Baggage
In February 2022, reporting marketing carriers handled 32.0 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.60, a lower rate than the January 2022 rate of 0.81% and the pre-pandemic February 2019 rate of 0.63%.
In the previous three calendar year reports (2019 to 2022), the Department calculated the mishandled…
Read More: Air Travel Consumer Report: February 2022 Numbers