Airlines Improve On-time Record In Argentina

Air travel in Argentina got better (or less bad) in the first half of 2008, according to a new study by the Argentine Right To Tourism Association. The association, which goes by its Spanish acronym AADETUR, said 53% of the departures left on-time. That’s up from just 26.3% a year earlier. Some highlights from the report:

*Aerolineas Argentinas, the newly nationalized flagship airline, departed 55% of the time on-time. Aerolineas loses $1 million a day, according to the government.

*By far the most reliable carrier was Lan Argentina, whose take-offs were on-schedule 90% of the time.

*More than 10% of all flights were canceled in the first half.

*As for international flights, the most punctual airlines were Continental and Taca, both of which left on-the-hour about 95% of the time.

*In the EU about 77.6% of flights left on time in the first quarter of 2008, while in the U.S. around 79% did so (in May, the only month available).

Link: AADETUR