WASHINGTON -- Airline on-time arrival figures reported each
month by the Transportation Department might be inaccurate and
misleading because carriers use different methods to report and
record the numbers, the DOT's inspector general found.
Under the DOT's rules, a flight is considered on time when it
arrives at the gate within 15 minutes of schedule. However, because
the DOT definition is not precise, the airlines are variously
defining "gate arrival time" as setting the aircraft's parking
brake, shutting off the engines, placing blocks behind the wheels,
opening the cargo door or opening the passenger door, the inspector
general said.
Also skewing the numbers: Some lines use automatic reporting
systems, whereas others let employees manually record the
times.
The inspector general recommended using a standard arrival
definition: opening the passenger door. The inspector general also
recommended adding a notation on the on-time arrival rankings to
show which airlines use manual reporting.
In addition, the office cleared Continental and Southwest of
allegations they were lying about arrival times to improve their
on-time rankings.
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Feb. Results WASHINGTON -- The major domestic airlines
slightly improved their on-time arrival records in February to
75.4%, but consumer complaints about airline service continue to
rise, according to the Transportation Department's latest monthly
report card.
American did best on arrivals (82%), America West plummeted to
worst (62%) and Northwest showed the biggest improvement (79% and
third place, from 69% and last).
Consumer complaints rose 16%, to 731.