WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday (May 19) released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of March 2022 for on-time performance and many others. The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. It also contains information on complaints involving passenger and baggage security screening received by the Transportation Security Administration.
In March, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to result in significant changes to airline schedules and operations. The 581,434 flights operated in March 2022 were 86.1% of the 675,659 flights operated in pre-pandemic March 2019. Operated flights in March 2022 were up 26.1% year-over-year from the 461,222 flights operated in March 2021 and up 17.1% month-over-month from the 496,531 flights operated in February 2022.
In March 2022, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 590,542 scheduled domestic flights, 9,108 (1.5%) of which were cancelled. In March 2021, the same airlines reported 467,126 scheduled domestic flights, 5,904 (1.3%) of which were cancelled. In February 2022, airlines scheduled 519,952 domestic flights, of which 23,421(4.5%) were cancelled.
March 2022 On-Time Arrival
In March 2022, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 77.2%, up from 76.6% in February 2022 and down from 80.9% in pre-pandemic March 2019. The year-to-date on-time arrival rate for 2022 is 76.4%.
Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates March 2022 (ATCR Table 1)
Hawaiian Airlines – 84.6%
Alaska Airlines Network – 83.0%
Delta Air Lines Network – 81.4%
Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates March 2022 (ATCR Table 1)
Allegiant Air – 57.2%
Frontier Airlines – 57.8%
JetBlue Airways – 65.6%
For the first three months of 2022, the reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 76.35%, down from 77.88% for the same period in pre-pandemic 2019.
March 2022 Flight Cancellations
In March 2022, reporting marketing carriers cancelled 1.5% of their scheduled domestic flights, lower than both the rate of 4.5% in February 2022 and the rate of 2.0% in pre-pandemic March 2019.
Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights March 2022 (ATCR Table 6)
Hawaiian Airlines – 0.4% Â
Delta Air Lines Network – 0.9%  Â
United Airlines Network – 1.0%  Â
Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights March 2022 (ATCR Table 6)
Allegiant Air – 5.4%  Â
Frontier Airlines – 4.5%  Â
JetBlue Airways – 2.8%  Â
For the first three months of 2022, the reporting marketing carriers posted a cancellation rate of 4.1%, up from 2.7% for the same period in pre-pandemic 2019.
