As Houston, Texas, gears up for an unprecedented holiday travel season, 13 Investigates delves into the anticipated delays for travelers. AAA estimates that a record-breaking 7.5 million people will travel by air during the holidays, surpassing the 2019 record of 7.3 million passengers.
Houston ranks among the top 10 domestic destinations based on AAA booking data. To assess the frequency of on-time flights, 13 Investigates scrutinized federal U.S. Department of Transportation data, revealing an increase in delays at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Last year, the airport performed exceptionally well for on-time arrivals, with over 80% of flights landing on time between January and September. However, this year saw a slight decline, with 76% of flights arriving on schedule during the same period. Departing flights also experienced a decrease, from 79% on time last year to 74% this year.
Analysis of the delays shows that approximately 7% of arriving flights at Bush were delayed due to airline-related issues, such as a late cabin crew. Another 7% were attributed to delays within the National Aviation System, including severe weather impacting services nationwide. Additionally, about 7% of delays occurred because an incoming aircraft to Houston experienced a delay earlier in the day. Less than 1% of delays were attributed to local weather or security issues.
The U.S. Department of Transportation ranked the 30 largest airports in departure delays, placing Bush at the 20th position. Las Vegas, Denver, Baltimore, and Orlando reported the most delays, while Fort Lauderdale ranked as the worst, with only 64% of departing flights on time. The top five airports with the fewest delays were in Detroit, Dulles (Washington, D.C.), Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, and Seattle.
Concerns about staffing shortages at air traffic control towers were also investigated. The air traffic control tower at Bush, which guides aircraft during takeoff and landing, currently has 78 controllers, falling short of the target of 93. The Federal Aviation.
