The on-time percentage among the nation's 19 largest airlines dropped to 77.3 percent in the month, a decrease from September, when 86.2 percent of the flights were listed as on time. A year ago in October, 86 percent were on time, the department said.
Alaska Airlines led the group with an 85.8 percent on-time percentage.
Northwest Airlines, which is merging with Delta, had an on-time rate under 70 percent.
On time includes flights that makes it to the destination within 15 minutes of scheduled arrival times, USA Today reported Wednesday.
Cancellations in October rose to 1 percent of domestic flights, 0.4 percentage points above September.
Among the major measurements of airline performance, mishandled baggage rate also slipped from September with 3.48 reports of mishandled luggage per 1,000 passengers, compared with 3.01 incidents per 1,000 passengers in September.
Southwest Airlines topped the mishandled baggage list with 27,600 complaints in the month, about 3 percent of its passenger count.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International.
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