FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 2, 1999
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-5571
DOT 17-99
DOT ISSUES AIRLINE ON-TIME,
BAGGAGE, COMPLAINT DATA FOR 1998
The Department of Transportation today released its monthly Air Travel Consumer Report, which contains information on airline on-time performance, mishandled baggage and consumer complaints for December 1998 and cumulative data for last year.
According to the report, the 10 largest U.S. carriers posted an on-time arrival record of 77.2 percent in 1998, down from 77.7 percent the previous year. In December 1998, the carriers posted on-time arrivals 73.2 percent of the time, compared to 83.3 percent in November.
The carriers posted a mishandled baggage rate of 5.16 complaints per 1,000 passengers last year, compared to 1997's rate of 4.96. December’s mark was 7.19, not as good as November’s 4.21 rate.
Consumers filed 9,606 complaints about airline service with the department in 1998, 25 percent above 1997's total of 7,667. A total of 550 complaints were recorded in December, almost 24 percent below the 722 tallied in November.
Consumers may file their complaints with the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-75, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Room 4107, Washington, D.C. 20590.
The department reminded consumers who want on-time performance data for specific flights to call their airline ticket offices or their travel agents. This information is available on the computerized reservation systems used by these agents.
This report can be found on DOT’s World Wide Web site at http://www.dot.gov/airconsumer/. It is available in both "html" and "pdf" formats.
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