DOT: Airlines had record on-time performances so far in 2012

U.S. airlines set records for on-time flights, lost bags and runway delays in the first half of 2012, according to a report released Thursday by the Department of Transportation.

The DOT said its Air Travel Consumer Report revealed an 83.7 percent on-time performance for the 15 largest U.S. airlines. The agency said the mark was the highest percentage in 18 years of tracking airline performance.

The airlines also set a record for the fewest number of cancellations, DOT said, with only 1.1 percent of scheduled flights not taking off. The previous record for lowest cancellation percentage was 1.3 in the first six months of 2002, according to the report.

DOT also said that there were only 35 delays on tarmacs that lasted longer than three hours. The agency attributed the decline to fines for long delays that were implemented in 2010 by the Obama administration as part of a “Passenger’s Bill of Rights.” 

“Our new airline consumer rules and our vigorous oversight of the aviation industry are holding airlines accountable to their customers,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. “We will continue to help make air travel as hassle-free as possible.”

DOT also said airlines lost less baggage than in any year since 1987. The agency said there were 2.97 reports of mishandled bags for every 1,000 airline passengers.

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