Airlines report on-time arrival rate of 86.5 percent in September | Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Good weather across the country boosted on-time arrival rates at U.S. carriers in September.

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, airlines reported 86.5 percent of their scheduled flights arrived on time, up from 81.1 percent in September 2014.

Delta Air Lines had the best on-time rate with 90.5 percent of their flights arriving on time and the lowest cancellation rate. The Atlanta-based carrier canceled only six flights in September.

Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines, which has struggled with on-time performance this year, posted the worst rate with 76.7 percent of its flights arriving on time.

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Dallas-based Southwest Airlines ranked third with an on-time rate of 87.8 percent while Fort Worth-based American Airlines ranked eighth with 85.6 percent of its flights arriving on time.

There were no tarmac delays over three hours in September. Airlines also reported a mishandled baggage rate of 2.46 reports per 1,000 passengers, down from 2.96 in September 2014.

Consumer complaints about air service continued to rise with the U.S. Department of Transportation receivinng 1,857 complaints in September, a 60 percent increase from the same period last year.