HEBRON — Travelers to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport made it in on time more often than passengers arriving at any other major U.S. airport in 2000, and those leaving the airport had the third-easiest time making it on schedule to their destinations. But even with those statistics, things are getting worse, an Enquirer analysis of U.S. Department of Transportation year-end airline performance data shows.

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        The number of cancellations here in 2000 was 34 percent higher than in 1998. And 22.7 percent of flights — more than one in five — in and out of Cincinnati were delayed in 2000, compared with 18.3 percent in 1998.

        The statistics were for major airlines only, and did not include regional carrier Comair, a wholly owned Delta Air Lines subsidiary that is not required to re port on-time statistics.

        Across the nation, 2000 was the worst on record for on-time performance by the nation's leading airlines. The top 10 airlines arrived within 15 minutes of the scheduled time only 72.6 percent of the time. Airports came under criticism as well, with LaGuardia International in New York City ranking last for on-time arrivals at 57.1 percent.

        Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International and local Delta officials said Friday that their 2000 overall performance was good, blaming a rough December for bringing down the entire year.

        With two major storms and few pilots volunteering for overtime taking their toll during the month, Delta suffered its worst one-month performance since statistics started being kept in 1995. Delta finished fourth overall for the year for on-time performance, arriving within 15 minutes of the scheduled time 75.3 percent of the time.

        “It's never good to have an increase in delays and cancellations,” said Cindi Kurczewski, spokeswoman for Delta, the nation's third-largest carrier, which operates its second-largest hub in Cincinnati.

        “But considering numerous challenges we faced in December, those numbers are not as bad as they could have been.”

        Still, Heather Jardis, a chemical engineer from Hyde Park who flies about twice a month, says she has noticed a performance decline locally.

ON-TIME TOP 10

Here are the top 10 airports for on-time performance in 2000.   ARRIVALS   1) Cincinnati - 79.8 percent   2) Minneapolis-St. Paul - 79.5   3) Houston (George Bush International) - 79.3   4) Detroit - 79.0   5) Charlotte - 78.1   6) Dallas-Fort Worth - 78.0   7) St. Louis - 77.6   8) Salt Lake City - 76.8   9) Pittsburgh - 76.4   10) Washington, D.C. (Ronald Reagan International) — 76.2        DEPARTURES   1) Houston - 83.0   2) Ronald Reagan - 82.8   3) Cincinnati - 82.0   4) Salt Lake City - 81.0   5) Tampa — 80.5   6) Orlando - 80.1   7) Minneapolis-St. Paul - 79.4   8) New York (John F. Kennedy International) - 79.3   9) Miami - 78.8   10) Portland, Ore. - 78.6   Source: U.S. Department of Transportation

        “About two years ago (delays) started getting pretty consistent,” said Ms. Jardis, 27, who says as many as 40 percent of her Delta flights are delayed.

        “You can usually expect it. In general, there's a lot more delays than there were in the past.”

        Airport spokesman Ted Bushelman also said he was pleased with the numbers despite the decline which he says shows the need for more runway space.

        Later this month, the Federal Aviation Administration is expected to release a preliminary environmental impact study of a new 8,000-foot third north-south runway and a 2,000-foot extension of the existing 8,000-foot east-west runway.

        The project is expected to cost $250 million, including soundproofing and land buyouts, and could be done by 2005 with rapid federal approval.

        “We've seen an increase in flights, especially over the last few years, but no more room,” Mr. Bushelman said. “And when you have weather like we had, you see what happens with the numbers.”

        The Enquirer analysis shows that flights to LaGuardia — among airports with more than 500 flights annually from Cincinnati — were the most likely to be delayed.

        Flights from Cincinnati to LaGuardia were late 39 percent of the time, with Delta Flight 1018 — which leaves at 10:55 a.m. and is scheduled to arrive at 12:40 p.m. — the worst. During 2000, that flight was late 65 percent of the time.

        Patrick Stack contributed to this report.
       

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