Most Flights Are Late, and It May Only Get Worse

Passengers are understandably angry when they are stuck on a delayed flight. But they should not necessarily be surprised — especially those traveling on flights like American Airlines 1659, departing every afternoon from Newark Liberty International Airport to Chicago.

Flight 1659 is the most chronically delayed of all flights on a full-size jet operated by a major domestic airline. It arrived at O’Hare Airport at least 15 minutes late 84 percent of the time during a 12-month period ended in June.

And when Flight 1659 was late, it was really late — an average of 87 minutes behind schedule, or roughly the time it takes for the American MD-80 to actually fly the route.