The US’s largest airlines had a lower on-time performance rate this past February than in both February 2009 and January 2010, according to the Air Travel Consumer Report released by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

According to information filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a part of DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), the 18 carriers reporting on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 74.6 percent in February, worse than both February 2009’s 82.6 percent and January 2010’s 78.7 percent. Northwest Airlines is no longer a ranked carrier, having merged in January with Delta Air Lines. Major East Coast snowstorms likely affected some of the data in the report.
    
The monthly report also includes data on lengthy tarmac delays, flight cancellations and the causes of flight delays by the reporting carriers, mishandled baggage, and consumer service, disability and discrimination complaints received by DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division. This report also includes reports of incidents involving pets traveling by air, as U.S. carriers are required to file.