What does 10% on time mean?

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edwinaw

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Just went to book a flight with United from LAS-LAX. My flight to Sydney leaves LAX at 22.30 and I intended to book the 17.30 getting to LAX at 18.38. I noticed a little pop up next to the flight that said " 10% on time", the earlier flight at 16.30 was "50% on time" and the early morning "70% on time". If this does mean that only 10% of the time this flight actually leaves on time, then does anyone know if they are talking minutes or hours??? I don't want to miss our connection and felt that 4 hours was plenty of time - as did a Qantas Customer Service fellow that I checked with when making another booking. Anyone had any experience?
 
Four hours should be ample time, weather disasters notwithstanding.
 
Depending on the Stats that United use, it means that only 10% of the flights on this flight number leave within X minutes of scheduled departure. (usually 15 or 20 minutes) Track Flight Status, Airport Delays and other Flight and Airport Information provides comprehensive details for each flight number including the number of cancellations and the % brackets it leaves in. (ie. >15 minutes, >30 minutes, Cancelled etc.)

For example, United 1553 LAX-LAS is 56% ontine with an average delay of 49min. 29% are excessively delayed. FlightStats - (UA) United Airlines 1553 Historical Ontime Performance Rating
 
Thanks Little_flier - I knew that web site existed but couldn't remember what it was called. I'll check it out before I book.
 
Some of the American airlines have been starting to put up on their websites on-time performance information regarding their flights.

Similar to Australia, certain carriers are required to report monthly to the DOT (Department of Transport) stats on how many flights leave and arrive less than 15 mins late.

The 10% shown there means that only 1 in 10 of that particular flight statistically (over X amount of time, I'm not sure what, and the United website is useless in describing it) was less than 15 mins late upon departure/arrival.

There are other websites that give more detailed information on flights and their historical delays. Try checking out the flight on FlightStats - Route Based Historical Ontime Performance Rating to get a better idea of how well it has performed over the last 2 months or so. Keep in mind that it is Winter in the US at the moment, and this has contributed greatly to flight delays over the last few months.

Edit: Or basically what littl_flier wrote :D
 
Thanks Mal, I have been looking on that site and compared UA's on time stats to US Airways who have a much better record, however, in the forums they are being bagged to death!. Obviously I want to spend as little time as possible hanging around at LAS and LAX - If I go with the United Flight at 5.30pm I stand a 90% chance of being delayed. If I go with the 4.30 flight a 50%. The only other option is the US Airways with a good on time record but a bad wrap from the locals. I hate being a Libra - why does it take me so long to make a simple booking?
 
Is your LAX-SYD flight with United? If it is, you will save the check-in time as your bags will be interlines and you will be checked-in in LAS.

If it's with QF, why don't you take AA? They will interline your bags, though they won't be able to give you boarding passes if they're on a separate booking.
 
My flight is QF out of LAX and I was worried that the AA flight at 6.35pm if delayed would be too late. The united at 5.30pm is perfect timing but they have a cr**py stat history. Anyway I think I will book that one as there are three other flights on other airlines that should ensure that somehow I make that flight even if I have to pay again. I just thought only 10% on time was a bit scarey!

I have been so lucky the last few years with hardly a delay speak of I didn't want to push my luck with this one.
 
edwinaw said:
I hate being a Libra - why does it take me so long to make a simple booking?
I don't think it has anything to do with your star sign.

I am not a Libra and I am having difficulties deciding how I am going to return from BKK end of March....
 
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edwinaw said:
My flight is QF out of LAX and I was worried that the AA flight at 6.35pm if delayed would be too late.
That flight arrives at 7:40 pm. I'm very risk-averse when it comes to connections, but even I would accept an AA to QF connection at LAX with 2:50 between scheduled arrival and departure. Especially since you aren't going near the "danger" airports (such as Chicago and Dallas which are prone to weather delays). Even if the flight is two hours late you would have plenty of time.

I've never arrived in LAX on Eagle. I know there is an airside bus transfer between the Eagle terminal and AA's T4, but I don't know if it involves reclearing security. If not, then that's a big plus, since transferring from UA's terminal to T4 and going through T4 security could eat up a significant amount of the hour you gain by travelling on UA.
 
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