Airlines show improvement in keeping flights on-time

WASHINGTON — U.S. airlines are posting better results for on-time performance and fewer cancelations but consumer complaints are still rising.

The Department of Transportation said Thursday that 78.1 percent of flights on the leading airlines arrived on time in July. That’s up from 74.8 percent the previous month and 75.6 percent in July 2014.

Cancelations are down to 0.9 percent, about half the rate for June and for July 2014. The government says it’s the lowest July cancellation rate in 21 years of comparable records.

Consumers filed more than 2,000 airline-related complaints with the government, a 5 percent increase over the previous month and 31 percent higher than a year ago.