GroundSupportWorldWide.com |

US airlines enjoyed their best monthly on-time performance in five years in September, with 84.9 percent of flights arriving on time, the US Department of Transportation said Friday.

The last time the carriers exceeded that mark was in October 2003, when 86.4 percent of flights arrived on time, defined as within 14 minutes of schedule. It was also the best September since 2003, when the airlines flew 85.6 percent on time.

The latest figures arrived on the heels of major reductions in capacity by most US airlines, with the 19 carriers operating 10.2 percent fewer flights in September than in the same month a year earlier.

The September mark was a 3.2-point improvement over September 2007, when 81.7 percent of flights arrived within 14 minutes of schedule. In August 2008, the carriers ran only 78.4 percent of their flights on time.

Hawaiian Airlines Inc. led the 19 carriers with a 95.1 percent on-time performance. Among the 10 largest carriers, Northwest Airlines Inc. was the leader, with 89.5 percent and fourth overall. Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. was next at 89 percent, fifth overall.

Worst of all carriers was Comair Inc., at 77.4 percent. United Airlines Inc., at No. 17, ranked last among the 10 largest carriers. Fort Worth-based American Airlines Inc. came in eighth among the top 10 and 14th overall.