The DOT issued its Air Travel Consumer Report for the month of May (see chart below) that once again put Hawaiian at the top of the airline industry for on-time performance, based on statistics filed with the agency by 19 major and regional airlines.
Hawaiian has been the nation's top airline for on-time performance in each of the seven months since it began reporting monthly statistics to the DOT. On-time service, according to DOT standards, is any flight arriving within 15 minutes of schedule.
“By aviation standards, an on-time service record of 95 percent is astounding. It's just not done in our industry and yet Hawaiian's employees have now accomplished it for two months in a row,” said Mark Dunkerley, president and chief operating officer of Hawaiian Airlines. “Our performance is even more extraordinary when you consider that 88 percent of our flights departed exactly on time. We had a higher percentage of flights departing on time than the next best airline had arriving within 15 minutes of schedule – the much looser DOT standard of punctuality.”
Hawaiian provided approximately 30 transpacific flights and more than 100 interisland flights daily during May. The company's interisland service for the month was highlighted by 15 100% on-time days meaning every single flight on those days arrived within 15 minutes of schedule.
These “perfect” flying days were especially noteworthy considering Hawaiian's interisland service is comprised of back-to-back flights with short, 25-minute transition times on the ground.
The top five for on-time service after Hawaiian were SkyWest Airlines, 86.8 percent; JetBlue Airways, 83.4 percent; and Alaska Airlines and US Airways, 81.7 percent each.
High Marks for Baggage Handling, Fewest Flights Cancelled
Hawaiian also ranked as the nation's second best airline for both handling passenger baggage and fewest flight cancellations. The company had only 2.83 reports of mishandled baggage per 1,000 passengers, placing it second behind JetBlue Airways at 2.18 reports. The remaining top five after Hawaiian were AirTran Airways, 2.87 reports; America West Airlines, 2.94 reports; and Southwest Airlines, 3.07 reports.
In addition, Hawaiian had only eight flight cancellations out of 3,976 total flights – or only 0.2 percent of all flights – during the month of May, placing it second behind JetBlue Airways at two cancellations (0.0 percent). Rounding out the top five after Hawaiian were ATA Airlines, 17 cancellations (0.3 percent); AirTran Airways, 52 cancellations (0.4 percent); and Southwest Airlines, 580 cancellations (0.7 percent).
“Hawaiian ranked higher than every other airline providing service to Hawaii in these categories,” said Dunkerley. “No airline did a better job of serving Hawaii in May.”
| On-Time Performance - May 2004 | ||
Rank | Airline | % Arr w/in 15 min |
1 | Hawaiian Airlines | 95.2 |
2 | SkyWest Airlines | 86.8 |
3 | JetBlue Airways | 83.4 |
4 | Alaska Airlines | 81.7 |
5 | US Airways | 81.7 |
6 | America West Airlines | 80.3 |
7 | Southwest Airlines | 80.2 |
8 | AirTran Airways | 80.2 |
9 | Atlantic Southeast Airlines | 80.1 |
10 | ATA Airlines | 79.0 |
11 | Comair | 78.0 |
12 | American Airlines | 77.2 |
13 | Northwest Airlines | 76.8 |
14 | Continental Airlines | 76.0 |
15 | Delta Air Lines | 75.6 |
16 | United Airlines | 74.3 |
17 | ExpressJet Airlines | 74.0 |
18 | American Eagle Airlines | 69.5 |
19 | Atlantic Coast Airlines | 69.4 |
The DOT's Air Travel Consumer Report for May is available online at airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/atcr04.htm.
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 byCondé Nast Traveler rated Hawaiian Airlines as having the best in-flight service and meals of any U.S. carrier. Hawaiian was recently ranked fourth best in the nation overall by Travel + Leisure.
Celebrating its 75th year of continuous service, Hawaiian Airlines is Hawaii's largest 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 100 daily jet flights among the Hawaiian Islands, as well as service to Sydney, 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 on May 16, 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 on Hawaiian Airlines is available at www.HawaiianAir.com.