New data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics indicates that airlines are getting better at delivering aircraft and passengers consistently and on time. The data comes through the most recent annual report from the agency, which includes recently released 2016 numbers and pulls on time performance data from all major U.S. carriers regularly. The report was issued earlier this month and is published on the Bureau of Transportation Statistics website.
According to the report, airlines through 2016 canceled flights at a rate of 1.17%, a 22 year low. Last year, that rate was 1.5%.
The global uptick in performance can partially be attributed to better run operations overall, but the improvements have also been fueled by aggressive gate and flight management on ultra-tight schedules. At American Airlines, gate and airplane crew target departures at a time called "D0" or zero minutes past the scheduled departure time. But that rush sometimes doesn't account for the difficulties of everyday airport and flight operation, and many think that some flexibility should be mixed into the schedule. Last year, pilots at American Airlines expressed concerns to management about the tight scheduling, saying " adherence to a D0 policy deprives captains of the ability to act in the interest of American passengers."
Still, there's plenty of benefit in having aircraft depart and arrive on time, from both the passenger and the investor perspective. For the last several years, Delta Air Lines has heralded its on time performance rating over other U.S. legacy carriers, bragging that it's the best airline in which to invest. American and United have doubled down on their own operational improvements in turn. As a result, all ships seem to be raising in the tide of fewer cancellations on more on time aircraft. But if you arrive 1 minute late to your gate, don't expect any sympathy.
