Dulles tops times tables

Washington's Dulles International Airport (IAD) has been ranked as the country's best for on-time flights.

According to data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Dulles hosted more punctual flights during December 2005 than any of the country's other 32 major airports. This is the first time Dulles has achieved such a feat since it opened in 1962.

The figures showed that over the month 79 per cent of Dulles flights operated on time, compared to 72 per cent in 2004.

Across the entire year Dulles did not perform as well, ranking 14th. However, this was still an improvement on its 2004 position of 20th and marks a rise into the top half of the table.

The improvement came in spite of major construction work that has been ongoing over recent months.

To minimize the impact of the new runway and rail system construction, airport officials ensured that major works were carried out during off-peak hours.

During 2005 Dulles handled 510,000 flights and 27 million passengers passed through its terminals.

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