U.S. carriers improved performances in May

WASHINGTON, July 8 (UPI) -- U.S. airlines improved their on-time performance in May, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported.

The Department of Transportation's Research and Innovation Technology Administration said the country's 19 reporting carriers obtained an on-time rate of 79 percent in May, improving on April's 77.7 percent and May 2007's 77.9 percent.

Airlines also reduced their cancellation rate and their mishandled luggage rates, the BTS reported.

Cancellations declined from 1.7 percent in April to 1 percent, while luggage mishaps declined from 4.99 per 1,000 passengers in April to 4.59 per 1,000 in May.

The highest rate of on-time arrivals was 88.9 percent reported by Hawaiian Airlines.

Second on the list was Pinnacle Airlines with an on-time rate of 85.9 percent, followed by AirTran with a rate of 84.7 percent.

The lowest rates of on-time arrivals were reported by American Airlines at 67.3 percent, United at 72.4 percent and Continental at 75.4 percent, the report said.