Two north Texas-based airlines on opposite ends of on-time performance list

HOUSTON, Feb. 9 (Chinese media) -- Two major U.S. airlines headquartered in north Texas were on the opposite ends of a ranking list for on-time performance last year, according to data released on Monday by U.S. Department of Transportation.

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines finished No. 2 among all 19 U.S. carriers tracked for the second year, with 80 percent of its flights arriving on time. American Airlines, headquartered in nearby Fort Worth, was at the bottom of the list, with less than 70 percent of its flights landing on time.

Leading the pack was Hawaiian Airlines Inc., with 90 percent on-time, while U.S. Airways took the third place, with 80.1 percent on time. As a group, according to the Department, U.S. major airlines did a slightly better job of operating flights on time last year, despite holiday storms and inspection woes that grounded hundreds of jets.

Overall, nearly 76 percent of flights landed on time during 2008, up from 73 percent in the previous year, the Department reported.

Moreover, major U.S. airlines also lost fewer bags, bumped fewer travelers and logged fewer complaints from passengers in 2008 compared with 2007.