US Airways lauds on-time performance: Tempe-based carrier gives workers bonuses

Jul 08, 2008 (The Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- LCC | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- US Airways finished seventh overall but in the top three among major airlines in on-time performance in May for the sixth straight month, according to a report released Monday by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

As a result, US Airways' 35,000 employees will each receive $50 bonus checks for the sixth month in a row, the Tempe-based carrier said.

The airline pays $50 bonuses to employees in months when its on-time performance is in the top three of the 10 largest U.S. airlines, and during the streak the airline said it has paid out a total of $108 million.

The airline recorded an on-time arrival rate of 83.6 percent in May, the third best among the top 10. It also tied the carrier's on-time record high score achieved in November 2005.

US Airways defines the top 10 airlines based on several factors including revenue, number of passengers and types of aircraft flown.

The only large airlines to fare better during the month were Airtran Airways at 84.7 percent and Delta's 84.1 percent.

Four smaller airlines -- Hawaiian, Pinnacle, Skywest and Atlantic Southeast -- also finished with higher on-time percentages than US Airways.

Phoenix-based Mesa Airlines ranked 13th among the 19 airlines covered in the DOT consumer report.

American Airlines, the nation's largest carrier, had the worst on-time performance with passengers reaching their destinations on time only 67.3 percent of the time. United Airlines, the second largest, was the second worst.

Industrywide, about 21 percent of all flights in May were at least 15 minutes late, canceled or diverted.

Weather was by far the biggest cause of late flights in May, accounting for just over 44 percent of all delays, the DOT said.

US Airways also improved its mishandled baggage status. The department reported 3.86 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers by US Airways, which ranked only sixth best among the top 10 airlines and seventh among all airlines.

Still, it was an improvement over 7.2 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers in the same month a year earlier, and the performance was better than the industry average of 4.6 mishandled bags.

Mesa Airlines had 7.6 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers in May, which ranked it second from last. But it was better than the 9.9 mishandled bags in May of the previous year.

The report came as the airline industry struggled with sweeping changes including record high fuel prices, cutbacks in the number of flights and rising fares and charges for amenities such as checked baggage.

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