Airport efficiency report cards are in and South Florida airports didn't fare well in 2023

Experienced a delay or a flight cancellation this year at a Florida airport? You are not alone.

If you flew out of Palm Beach County, Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood or Orlando-Sanford from January through August of 2023, there was nearly a one in three chance you experienced an issue. There were so many cancellations and delays that those five airports were ranked as among the least reliable in the country, according to a recently released study undertaken by Jettly, a private aviation booking platform that connects passengers directly to charter operators.

The study reviewed the number of delays, cancellations and diversions for more than 390 American airports, using data provided by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The Department of Transportation considers flights on time if they arrive within 15 minutes of the scheduled time.

Airports with fewer than 500 total arrivals and departures during January to August were excluded.

Several airlines are under investigation for selling seats on planes without the staff to get them off the ground. Nationwide, there is a shortage of pilots, mechanics and air traffic controllers, according to a recent CBS News analysis of data from the Federal Aviation Administration, DOT and Department of Labor, all of which can lead to cancellations and delays.

The Florida airports that did not fare well in the Jettly study are all expecting a record number of travelers to frequent their facilities over the Christmas holidays, increasing the likelihood of delays and cancellations. The study showed:

• Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), ranked the 13th least reliable with 29.9% of its 217,000 flights experiencing issues.

• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), ranked the fifth least reliable airport with 34.4% of its 120,000 flights experiencing issues.

• Orlando International Airport (MCO), ranked the ninth least reliable with 32.5% of its 217,000 flights experiencing issues.

• Orlando-Sanford International Airport (SFB), ranked the 19th least reliable with 28.6% of its 13,000 flights experiencing issues.

• Miami International Airport (MIA), ranked the 20th least reliable with 28.5% of its 136,000 flights experiencing issues.

Not one Florida airport was among the 20 most reliable airports.

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The most reliable airport in the country — Bert Mooney Airport in Montana (BTM), near Butte. Fewer than 9% of its 900 flights had any issues.

The country's least reliable airport: Stockton Metropolitan Airport in northern California. Forty-five percent of its flights had issues.

Justin Crabbe, CEO of Jettly, noted airports can be stressful places.

“So when your flight is delayed, or worse canceled, it only contributes to what is already a negative experience for many customers. This analysis offers an insight into the reliability of airports across the nation, which holidaymakers may want to take into consideration if they plan to travel this winter.”

So what are the least reliable airlines?

A Palm Beach Post review of data maintained by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics for the month of September shows that Jet Blue, Frontier and Spirit Airlines had the highest percentage of delayed flights; Jet Blue, 35%; Frontier, 27% and Spirit, 23%. The three airlines are major carriers at airports in South Florida.

And as for coping with that layover? Two Florida airports, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, were rated, respectively, as the two worst airports in the country to experience a layover.

MarketWatch Guide reviewed amenities and services offered at airports that impact a layover experience. Examined were available seats, cleanliness, food and beverage service, shopping, the number of airport lounges and charging ports.

The takeaway from the study (https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/insurance-services/best-and-worst-airports-for-layovers/: You don't want to be stuck at either Fort Lauderdale or Orlando.

Out of all the airports examined, Orlando was criticized for having the lowest seat availability of the airports reviewed. Orlando was tied with Newark Liberty International Airport for the lowest rating for mid-priced shops and San Francisco International for the lowest rating for food and beverage staff service.

Tampa International Airport (TPA) was rated as the seventh best airport to experience a layover. It received high marks for food and beverage selection and stores per 100 people per hour.

Joe Harrington, spokesman for Palm Beach International Airport, took issue with the reliability study done by Jettly. He said its purpose was to sell private jet service, noting “PBI has a very high percentage of private jet traffic" and that fact sometimes causes delays, adding: "Other factors may be bad weather or delays in the northeast, which are beyond our control.”

Meanwhile, airports are bracing for a double-digit yearly percentage increases in passenger volume during the upcoming holidays. The holiday period is considered Dec. 23 to Jan. 1, with the busiest days on Dec. 23, Dec. 28 and Dec. 30.

Harrington urged travelers to check their flight’s status before coming to the airport. Travelers should arrive at least two hours before their scheduled flight.

For the upcoming year-end holiday season, FLL anticipates a little more than 2 million passengers to utilize its airport from Dec. 21, 2023 to Jan. 6, 2024. During the 17-day timeframe, the airport expects to serve approximately 118,000 passengers daily, with its busiest days slated for December 22, 23, 26, 30 and January 2.

Airport officials at other airports also recommend that patrons arrive at least two hours before flight departures.

Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and transportation. You can reach him atmdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism.Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Fort Lauderdale, Orlando among worst airports for cancellations, delays