Airlines improve on time and baggage handling

ATLANTA — U.S. airlines' on-time performance and baggage handling improved in September, though the carriers overall posted a higher rate of domestic cancellations compared to the same month a year ago, the Transportation Department said Friday.

Delta Air Lines Inc.'s regional subsidiary, Comair, had the worst on-time performance in September, at 77.4 percent, while Hawaiian Airlines had the best. Atlanta-based Delta's on-time arrival rate ranked ninth in September, at 84.4 percent.

The DOT's Bureau of Transportation Statistics said the 19 carriers reporting on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 84.9 percent in September, higher than the 81.7 percent recorded a year earlier and 78.4 percent recorded in August of this year.