U.S. airlines did a poorer job getting passengers to their destinations on-time in October compared to the same month a year ago.

The Department of Transportation said Tuesday that the 19 carriers surveyed recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 77.3 percent in October.

That was lower than the 86 percent recorded in October 2008 and below the 86.2 percent recorded in September of this year.

Hawaiian Airlines had the best on-time performance in October. Delta Air Lines subsidiary Northwest Airlines had the worst.

The government says the cancellation rate was higher in October compared to a year ago, and the agency received more complaints about airline service than a year ago.

The airlines' mishandled baggage rate improved year-over-year.