Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
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Table 1-62: Major U.S. Air Carrier Delays, Cancellations, and Diversions

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  1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Total operations 5,202,096 5,041,200 5,270,893 5,076,925 5,092,157 5,070,501 5,180,048 5,327,435 5,351,983 5,411,843 5,384,721 5,527,884 5,683,047 5,967,780 (R) 5,271,359 6,488,539
Late departuresa 730,712 883,167 753,182 621,509 617,148 661,056 729,960 (R) 827,934 (R) 973,948 (R) 846,870 (R) 870,395 (R) 937,273 (R) 1,131,663 (R) 953,808 (R) 717,368 834,238
Late arrivalsb 1,042,452 1,208,470 1,087,774 890,068 902,567 931,437 960,254 (R) 1,039,250 (R) 1,220,045 (R) 1,083,834 (R) 1,070,071 (R) 1,152,725 (R) 1,356,040 (R) 1,104,439 (R) 868,225 1,057,504
Cancellations 50,163 74,165 52,458 43,505 52,836 59,845 66,740 91,905 128,536 97,763 144,509 154,311 187,490 231,198 (R) 65,143 101,448
Diversions 14,436 14,839 15,954 12,585 11,384 10,333 12,106 10,492 14,121 12,081 13,161 13,555 14,254 12,909 (R) 8,356 11,750

KEY: R = revised.

a Prior to 1995, late departures comprises flights departing 15 minutes or more after the scheduled time and flights cancelled. Beginning in 1995, late departures is only flights departing 15 minutes or more after the scheduled departure time.

b Prior to 1995, late arrivals comprises flights arriving 15 minutes or more after the scheduled arrival time, flights cancelled, and flights diverted. Beginning in 1995, late arrivals is only flights arriving 15 minutes or more after the scheduled arrival time.

NOTES

Late departures and arrivals are strongly seasonal and are affected by weather and heavy demand in winter and summer months. The term "late" is defined as 15 minutes after the scheduled departure or arrival time. Major air carriers are those with 1 percent or more of domestic scheduled-service passenger revenues. In 2003 there were 15 major air carriers. A canceled flight is one that was not operated, but was listed in a carrier's computer reservation system within seven calendar days of the scheduled departure. A diverted flight is one that left from the scheduled departure airport but flew to a destination point other than the scheduled destination point.

SOURCES

1988-94: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of Airline Information, Airline Service Quality Performance data.

1995-2003: Ibid., 2003 Airline On-Time Performance (Washington, DC: 2004), Internet site www.bts.gov/programs/airline_information/annual_airline_on_time_performance as of July 27, 2004.