The Summer of Our Air Travel Discontent?*
Travel Blog • Jim Benning • 08.07.07 | 2:56 PM ET
Oh yes. In June, almost a third of all domestic flights arrived at least 15 minutes late. That means the U.S. airline industry “posted its worst on-time performance for the first six months of the year since 1995,” according to the Los Angeles Times, and that “U.S. airlines are on track for their worst annual record for on-time performance ever,” according to USA Today. Experts blame storms and an air traffic control system struggling to cope with more planes in the air. Reports the Times: “Only six airports had planes depart on time more than 80% of the time. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport was the worst with only 65% of its flights taking off as scheduled.”
* Update August 7, 6:07 p.m. ET: Delays are only part of the problem, writes Carol Pucci of the Seattle Times.
Related on World Hum:
* Slim Planes Now in it for the Long Haul
* How Not to Panic When Your Circling Plane Runs Low on Fuel
Photo by Michael Yessis.
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Jim Benning is the editor and co-founder of World Hum.
Kelsey 08.08.07 | 5:00 PM ET
Note from an optimist:
I flew Air Tran to Houston today and we arrived 20 minutes early.
Richard Havers 08.09.07 | 3:31 AM ET
There never ever can be champagne at beer prices! This is only going to get worse around the world until there’s a realization that we get what we pay for.
http://airlineconfidential.blogspot.com/
Ron Mader 08.12.07 | 4:44 PM ET
As a traveler delayed 3 hours yesterday in Los Angeles by a customs snafu - http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lax13aug13,0,6186715.story?coll=la-home-local - what bothers me is the lack of empathy on the part of officials.
I will be paying more attention to the air travel websites and blogs as this is the first introduction for many international visitors and the departure gate for Usians wishing to see the world.