Zero Tarmac Delays, Cancellations Aplenty in February

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

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Despite a seemingly endless series of major winter storms, the Department of Transportation (DOT) says there were no three-hour tarmac delays in February.

There have been only 16 since May, when the DOT implemented rules penalizing airlines for tarmac delays three hours or longer, compared to 664 during the same period a year earlier.

Of course, this doesn’t mean flying was necessarily a pleasant experience during the month of February. Airlines canceled 4.9 percent of flights, which was actually down from February 2010’s 5.4 percent. The DOT reported 22,179 canceled flights in February, compared to 26,300 last February.

One stat worth watching counts the number of flights canceled after a two-hour tarmac delay. There were 19 in February, on par with last February’s 21, and there have been 331 between May 2010 and February 2011, up a bit from 289 during the same period a year earlier.

Readers, were you affected by February’s cancellations?

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