Table 1-68: Major U.S. Air Carrier Delays, Cancellations, and Diversions
| 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total operations | 5,202,096 | 5,041,200 | 5,270,893 | 5,076,925 | 5,092,157 | 5,070,501 | 5,180,048 | 5,327,435 | 5,351,983 | 5,411,843 | 5,384,721 | 5,527,884 | 5,683,047 | 5,967,780 | 5,271,359 | 6,488,540 | 7,129,270 | 7,140,596 | 7,141,922 | 7,455,458 | 7,009,726 | 6,450,285 | 6,450,117 | 6,085,281 | 6,096,762 | 6,369,482 | 5,819,811 | 5,819,079 |
| Late departures | 730,712 | 883,167 | 753,182 | 621,509 | 617,148 | 661,056 | 729,960 | 827,934 | 973,948 | 846,870 | 870,395 | 937,273 | 1,131,663 | 953,808 | 717,368 | 834,390 | 1,187,594 | 1,279,404 | 1,424,777 | 1,572,978 | 1,327,198 | 1,084,290 | 1,111,948 | 1,042,427 | 991,834 | 1,229,333 | 1,193,249 | 1,055,500 |
| Percent of total | 14.0 | 17.5 | 14.3 | 12.2 | 12.1 | 13.0 | 14.1 | 15.5 | 18.2 | 15.6 | 16.2 | 17.0 | 19.9 | 16.0 | 13.6 | 12.9 | 16.7 | 17.9 | 19.9 | 21.1 | 18.9 | 16.8 | 17.2 | 17.1 | 16.3 | 19.3 | 20.5 | 18.1 |
| Late arrivals | 1,042,452 | 1,208,470 | 1,087,774 | 890,068 | 902,567 | 931,437 | 960,254 | 1,039,250 | 1,220,045 | 1,083,834 | 1,070,071 | 1,152,725 | 1,356,040 | 1,104,439 | 868,225 | 1,057,804 | 1,421,391 | 1,466,065 | 1,615,537 | 1,804,028 | 1,524,735 | 1,218,288 | 1,174,884 | 1,109,872 | 1,015,158 | 1,269,277 | 1,240,528 | 1,063,439 |
| Percent of total | 20.0 | 24.0 | 20.6 | 17.5 | 17.7 | 18.4 | 18.5 | 19.5 | 22.8 | 20.0 | 19.9 | 20.9 | 23.9 | 18.5 | 16.5 | 16.3 | 19.9 | 20.5 | 22.6 | 24.2 | 21.8 | 18.9 | 18.2 | 18.2 | 16.7 | 19.9 | 21.3 | 18.3 |
| Cancellations | 50,163 | 74,165 | 52,458 | 43,505 | 52,836 | 59,845 | 66,740 | 91,905 | 128,536 | 97,763 | 144,509 | 154,311 | 187,490 | 231,198 | 65,143 | 101,469 | 127,757 | 133,730 | 121,934 | 160,809 | 137,432 | 89,377 | 113,255 | 115,978 | 78,862 | 96,012 | 126,984 | 89,884 |
| Percent of total | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 1.5 |
| Diversions | 14,436 | 14,839 | 15,954 | 12,585 | 11,384 | 10,333 | 12,106 | 10,492 | 14,121 | 12,081 | 13,161 | 13,555 | 14,254 | 12,909 | 8,356 | 11,381 | 13,784 | 14,028 | 16,186 | 17,182 | 17,265 | 15,463 | 15,474 | 14,399 | 12,519 | 14,160 | 14,449 | 15,187 |
| Percent of total | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
NOTES
Late departures and arrivals are strongly seasonal and are affected by weather and heavy demand in winter and summer months. The term Late is defined as 15 minutes after the scheduled departure or arrival time. A cancelled flight is one that was not operated, but was listed in a carrier's computer reservation system within seven calendar days of the scheduled departure. A diverted flight is one that left from the scheduled departure airport but flew to a destination point other than the scheduled destination point. The number of carriers reporting in previous years is as follows: 2014 (14); 2013 (16); 2012 (15); 2011(16); 2010 (18); 2009 (19); 2008 (19; 20 through February after which Aloha Airlines ceased reporting); 2007(20); 2006 ( 20; 19 through March after which Aloha Airlines started reporting for the second time)); 2005 (20; 19 through April after which Frontier Airlines started reporting); 2004 (19); 2003 (17; 18 starting in November when Hawaiian Airlines started reporting); 2002 (10); 2001(12; 11 starting in November when Aloha Airlines ceased reporting for the first time); 2000: (10; 11 starting in November when Aloha Airlines started reporting for the first time); 1999 (10); 1998 (10); 1997 (10); 1996 (10); and 1995 (10).
SOURCES
1988-94: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of Airline Information, Airline Service Quality Performance Data.
1995-2014: Ibid., Airline On-Time Tables, Table 1 - Summary of Airline On-Time Performance Year-to-date through December 2015, available at http://www.bts.gov/explore-topics-and-geography/topics/airlines-and-airports/airline-time-tables as of Aug. 12, 2016.