Most On-Time Airlines and Airports

Above, a Delta Airlines jet at Magic Valley Regional Airport in Twin Falls, Idaho. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If there are some big pet peeves of mine when it comes to air travel, it is when airlines are not on time or they cancel flights right under your feet.

Travel + Leisure has a article on the most punctual airlines and airports in the U.S. One may want to make note of these when planning future trips by air.

They begin with:

Hawaiian Airlines is the most punctual airline in the United States, according to a new study shared with Travel + Leisure.

The Hawaiian carrier had an on-time percentage of 89.9%, ranking No. 1 in the U.S. for the seventh year in a row and No. 9 globally, according to the annual Punctuality League 2022 study from OAG, which tracks flights and travel data. Hawaiian Airlines was followed by Delta Air Lines, which had an on-time performance of 88.4%, American Airlines, which had an on-time performance of 85.1%, and United Airlines, which had an on-time performance of 83.5%.

JetBlue, voted the best U.S. airline for 2021 by T+ L's readers, came in 10th in the U.S. and 59th globally when it comes to punctuality with an on-time performance of 73.4%.

To read more, go here. 

Airlines Drop Fall Fares To Lure More Travelers

Above, Magic Valley Regional Airport in Twin Falls, Idaho. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that the summer vacation season is over with Labor Day weekend now a memory, airlines are gearing up for autumn travelers by dropping airfares to lure more of them.

According to TravelPulse:

It’s a tried-and-true business practice that goes back centuries – drop the price and hope that the difference is made up with more volume.

That’s what airlines appear to be doing in order to lure more passengers during what is usually a downtime for leisure travelers, according to Business Insider.

While the spring and summer turned out to be a boon for carriers, which were not expecting such a rapid recovery in leisure flying following more than a year of the coronavirus pandemic, the fall was usually carried by business travelers.

But that’s not happening this year as many businesses are keeping their employees home and working off Zoom calls. Thus, airfares from September to November are expected to be lower than normal as a result. The hope is that a potential increase in the volume of passengers between now and the lucrative six-week holiday travel period from mid-November to after New Year’s – where fares are expected to be priced similar to last year – will lead to increased revenue. 

To read more, go here. 

Trip Home Photos

Mitch Geriminsky and I headed out of Idaho yesterday following Bill Wilson's celebration of life.

We flew out of Twin Falls Magic Valley Regional Airport. Oddly, Mitch had been to Buhl, Idaho many times but was unaware nearby Twin Falls had an airport. Our flight would take us to Salt Lake City, Utah where he would catch a flight to Phoenix, Arizona and I would go on to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

While at the airport, we had breakfast at the Happy Landing Restaurant & Pub. It had to be the smallest airport I've ever been in, but it is my understanding that an expansion of it is planned.

Things got a little confused at Salt Lake City's airport. It was announced that our departure gate for Albuquerque was changed. Then the gate clerks said it was an error. Then they weren't sure. Finally, after about 15 minutes, they announced that our departure would be at the gate we were at.

Other than that, the trip with Delta Airlines was flawless. It was the first time I've flown with them.

Some photos:

Above, the Happy Landing Restaurant & Pub. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Mitch at the Happy Landing Restaurant & Pub. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, yours truly at the Happy Landing Restaurant & Pub. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

Above, a view of Idaho farmland while headed to Salt Lake City. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a view of Salt Lake City while flying to Albuquerque. Photo by Armand Vaquer.