HONOLULU -- The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) confirmed that Hawaiian Airlines is America's most punctual airline with 95.3 percent of its flights on time for June – tops in the industry by far (see chart below).
The results were reported in DOT's monthly Air Travel Consumer Report. Hawaiian's on-time performance represents the best single month and best quarter ever reported by any airline anywhere in the country.
Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian's president and chief operating officer, said, “Our employees have set an incredibly high standard of on-time excellence – and then surpassed it.”
Impressively, while leading the industry Hawaiian has, with each month, also improved its on-time record: January, 87.3 percent; February 89.6 percent; March, 91.7 percent; April, 94.9 percent; May, 95.2 percent; and now June at 95.3 percent.
Rounding out the top five airlines for on-time performance in June after Hawaiian were JetBlue Airways, 82.5 percent; SkyWest Airlines, 82.2 percent; ATA Airlines, 79.2 percent; and United Airlines, 76.6 percent. The overall average for all reporting airlines was 73.0 percent – or 22.3 percentage points behind Hawaiian.
Hawaiian followed up an industry-best first quarter on-time performance of 89.5 percent, with an even better record of 95.1 percent for the second quarter. Year-to-date, Hawaiian's flights have arrived as scheduled 92.3 percent of the time.
The DOT report puts Hawaiian at the top of the airline industry for on-time service for the eighth consecutive month, dating back to November 2003 when Hawaii's biggest and longest-serving carrier first started reporting monthly statistics. On-time service, according to DOT standards, requires a flight to arrive within 15 minutes of schedule.
More Than Just On-Time: Hawaiian Ranks High in Other Consumer Tests
Hawaiian's industry-leading on-time performance was complemented by the best overall record of all airlines serving Hawaii in the other categories reported by DOT: flight cancellations, mishandled baggage reports, passengers denied boarding, and consumer complaints.
“Quality of service is more than just punctuality,” said Dunkerley. “We also want Hawaiian Airlines to provide the smoothest, most consistent, and best service. Right now, when it comes to serving Hawaii's travelers, there is none better.”
For June, Hawaiian had only five flight cancellations out of 4,162 total flights – or only 0.1 percent – placing it second nationally among all carriers.
Also for June, Hawaiian had the nation's fourth best record for baggage handling with only 3.45 mishandled baggage reports per 1,000 passengers served.
Second quarter statistics showed that Hawaiian ranked fourth best nationally for passengers denied boarding, also known as bumped, with a ratio of only 0.27 percent of every 10,000 passengers, representing 38 passengers who were involuntarily bumped out of 1.4 million total passengers. Year-to-date, Hawaiian ranked third best nationally with a ratio of 0.38 percent, representing 106 passengers involuntarily bumped out of 2.8 million total passengers.
During June, the company was the subject of only three complaints to DOT out of 492,000 total passengers served, or a ratio of 0.61 percent for every 100,000 passengers. Year-to-date, DOT has received only 16 complaints pertaining to Hawaiian's service out of 2.8 million total passengers, translating to a ratio of 0.57 per 100,000 passengers, sixth best of all airlines.
The DOT's Air Travel Consumer Report for June is available online at http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/atcr04.htm.
| On-Time Performance - June 2004 | ||
Rank | Airline | % Arr w/in 15 min |
1 | Hawaiian Airlines | 95.3 |
2 | JetBlue Airways | 82.5 |
3 | SkyWest Airlines | 82.2 |
4 | ATA Airlines | 79.2 |
5 | United Airlines | 76.6 |
6 | Alaska Airlines | 76.3 |
7 | US Airways | 76.1 |
8 | Comair | 75.4 |
9 | Southwest Airlines | 74.6 |
10 | Northwest Airlines | 74.2 |
11 | America West Airlines | 73.0 |
12 | Atlantic Coast Airlines | 71.8 |
13 | AirTran Airways | 71.8 |
14 | American Airlines | 70.5 |
15 | ExpressJet Airlines | 69.4 |
16 | Continental Airlines | 68.1 |
17 | Delta Air Lines | 68.1 |
18 | American Eagle Airlines | 65.9 |
19 | Atlantic Southeast Airlines | 65.7 |
TOTAL AVERAGE | 73.0 | |
About Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines, the nation's number one on-time carrier, is recognized as one of the best airlines in America. Business travelers recently surveyed by Condé Nast Traveler rated Hawaiian Airlines as having the best in-flight service and meals of any U.S. carrier. In addition, Hawaiian is ranked as the nation's fifth best airline overall by Travel + Leisure, ahead of every other carrier flying to Hawaii.
Celebrating its 75th year of continuous service, Hawaiian Airlines is Hawaii's biggest and longest-serving airline, and the second largest provider of passenger air service between Hawaii and the mainland U.S. Hawaiian offers nonstop service to Hawaii from more mainland U.S. gateways than any other airline. Hawaiian also provides approximately 117 daily jet flights among the Hawaiian Islands, as well as service to Australia, American Samoa and Tahiti.
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (AMEX and PCX: HA). Since the appointment of a bankruptcy trustee in May 2003, Hawaiian Holdings has had no involvement in the management of Hawaiian Airlines and has had limited access to information concerning the airline. Additional information is available at www.HawaiianAir.com.