The nation’s major airlines had an on-time flight arrival rate of 88.59 percent in November 2009, the best performance of the past 15 Novembers on record, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported.

And on-time performance during the first 11 months of 2009 was the best for that period since 2003, the department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported.

Airlines that serve Dayton International Airport were among the best and worst individual performers during November in terms of timely flight arrivals, according to the government’s rankings. November was the most recent monthly accounting available.

United Airlines, with a 92.62 percent on-time arrival rates; Pinnacle Airlines, with 91.25 percent, and Northwest Airlines, with 91.14 percent, were among the top five carriers, the government reported. US Airways and American were in the middle of the pack, each at about an 87.80 percent rate.

Comair, at 85.06 percent, and AirTran Airways, at 80.64 percent, were ranked among among the worst performers.