Delays plague Big Apple airports
New figures just released by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reveal that New York’s three prime aerodromes - LaGuardia (LGA), John F. Kennedy International (JFK), and Newark Liberty International (EWR) - were the most delay-prone airports in the country during 2005.
Of the 33 major airports that the bureau keeps tab on, Newark ranked dead last. Just 64.1 per cent of its flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule, the criteria the Department of Transportation uses to track airline performance. Newark is home to Continental Airlines’ prime international gateway.
Conveniently located LaGuardia Airport didn’t fare much better than Newark. BTS says that 66.75 per cent of its flights got to the gate on time. As for JFK, 70.3 per cent of flights arrived within the critical 15-minute on-time window.
What does this mean for travelers? If you’re headed for New York, you’re stuck unless, that is, you choose to fly into relatively remote MacArthur Airport (ISP) at Islip, Long Island or underserved Westchester Airport (HPN) in White Plains, New York.
If you’re considering connecting via New York to an overseas destination, think about using an alternative airport. BTS says that 79.05 per cent of the flights at Washington Dulles (IAD) arrived on time last year, as did 80.21 per cent of those at Thurgood Marshall Baltimore/Washington International (BWI).
© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler