Airlines set on-time arrival record in 1st 4 months of 2012

— -- The nation's largest airlines arrived on time 84.5% of the time in the first four months of 2012, the highest rate for any January to April in the last 18 years, the Transportation Department reported Thursday.

In April alone, 86.3% of flights arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled time. That's up from 82.2% in March and 75.5% from a year ago the same time, according to the Department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Also in the first four months of the year, 1.1% of domestic flights were canceled, the lowest rate for that period in the last 18 years. In April, the carriers canceled 1% of their domestic flights, down from 2% the same time last year.

The airlines also mishandled fewer bags. There were just 2.6 reports of lost or damaged luggage per 1,000 passengers, the lowest rate for any month since the Transportation Department started recording the data in September 1987. That was down from the previous month's mishandled baggage rate of 3.09 per 1,000 passengers and April 2011's rate of 3.3.

Airlines have been on a streak, topping their on-time arrival rates each month and mishandling fewer bags. Experts have attributed the streak to mild weather and fewer planes clogging the airspace as carriers cut back on flights. Weather accounted for just 0.39% of late flights.

Nicholas Calio, president of Airlines for America, which represents the industry, also said the carriers have made a concerted effort to improve their operations.

"Thanks to operational improvements and fewer weather disruptions, our members are again delivering strong on-time performance and already this year set two all-time records for baggage handling," he says.

There were no instances of domestic flights sitting on the tarmac for more than three hours or international flights for more than four hours, which they are required to report.

The airlines with the most delays were American, United and ExpressJet. The carriers with the best on-time arrivals were Hawaiian, which benefits from good weather, AirTran and Delta.

In April, there were 865 consumer complaints about U.S. airlines, up from 745 in April last year.