US: Delta leads airline pack in latest on-time arrival figures

Airlines are running late more often than last year, but they are cancelling fewer flights and complaints are down sharply, according to the latest government figures. Delta had the best on-time rating, followed by American Airlines. Virgin America, which is now owned by the parent of Alaska Airlines, finished last. The DoT said Tuesday that 82.6% of flights in February arrived within 14 minutes of schedule, the government's definition of on time. That's down from the 83.6% on-time rate a year earlier. Airlines cancelled 1.5% of US flights in February, down from 1.6% in February 2016. Passengers were most likely to have a flight cancelled on JetBlue Airways. The figures for delays and cancellations count only the 12 largest US airlines and exclude Allegiant and some regional carriers. Consumers filed 596 complaints with the government about US airlines in February, down nearly half from 1,111 in the same month last year.<br/>