PR: US Ranks First in On-Time Performance for March

[cactusflyer]

50 bucks is nice, but I haven't had a raise in 5 years. I'd rather have that.

 

[US1YFARE]

I know that US pads their times quite a bit but with that being said, do we know if our flight times are noticeably longer on routes we have competition on? I'm curious to see the difference. Hmmmmm

well, as an example....AA says PHL-MIA is 2 hours 40 minutes and US says it is anywhere between 2 hours 49 minutes to 3 hours 1 minute.

AA says PHL-DFW is 3 hrs 25 minutes to 3 hours 40 minutes while US says it is 3 hrs 41 minutes to 3 hrs 49 mins

 

[PHX PHLyer]

Let's compare to WN on head-to-head flights. You know that WN wouldn't pad their schedules, and even if they had to it wouldn't be 1 extra second more than it needed to be. These are the first two city pairs I looked up....and both validate my claim that US isn't padding their schedules more than anyone else...even vs. WN

PHL-MCO


WN 8:50am departure 2hr 40mn block time
US 8:00am departure 2hr 37mn block time
US 9:50am departure 2hr 39mn block time

WN 1:50pm departure 2hr 35mn block time
US 1:40pm departure 2hr 32mn block time

WN 6:05pm departure 2hr 40mn block time
US 6:15pm departure 2hr 41mn block time

WN 9:15pm block time 2hr 40mn block time
US 8:45pm block time 2hr 37mn block time


PHL-PHX

WN 10:15am departure 5hr 35mn block time
US 9:55am departure 5hr 24mn block time

WN 5:10pm departure 5hr 25mn block time
US 4:15pm departure 5hr 15mn block time
US 6:20pm departure 5hr 26mn block time

 

[700UW]

All airlines are flying slower now to save fuel.

Airlines Saving Fuel

 

[sharktooth]

You know that WN wouldn't pad their schedules, and even if they had to it wouldn't be 1 extra second more than it needed to be. These are the first two city pairs I looked up....and both validate my claim that US isn't padding their schedules more than anyone else...even vs. WN

Actually, I believe WN simply copies (mostly) the same schedule times. If any "padding" is going on, I wonder if it is for setting expectations (Oh gosh, we arrived early!!! yet again!) rather than caring about pushing on time. I think the pilots still get paid by segment and extra pay kicks in only after 15 minutes late? How many people buy tickets on a shorter (by a few minutes) flight? Especially when the cheapest price (many times) is on WN?

I wonder how much money they save by letting other carriers do their marketing (setting enroute time) for them? I imagine it goes along with their streamlined management, operating with efficient and lean management infrastructure, allowing front-line employees to make <gasp> their own decisions, even to spending money, about handling passengers, etc.

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> I think the pilots still get paid by segment and extra pay kicks in only after 15 minutes late?

IIRC, the FAs are paid by “segmentâ€￾ as well. It’s quite a bit of a different system at WN.

 

[FWAAA]

Exactly...I spent consderable time one day recently comparing US with every other carrier in markets they share. If anything, we had a slightly shorter total block time on the average. So we can put this false claim to rest.

Wouldn't that comparison merely indicate whether the other airlines might have also padded their schedules?

Seems the more reliable indicator would be the US block times for last year at the same time v. this year.

 

[Elevation]

That's why D0 is an important metric, it has nothing to do with block times.

 

[SolidCactus]

Who really cares if the times are padded or not? The end goal is that you exceed the customer's expectations... The customer doesn't know or care how long the flight actually takes. They just know that you say you're leaving at X time, and getting there at X time. Beating those times is what makes the customer happy.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Who really cares if the times are padded or not?

Actually, numerous people should care - management, employees, and even customers who would like US to survive. Padding schedules to make up for underlying problems costs money, and not insignificant sums. With fuel getting ever closer to $4/gal, not having to spend the money to make up for those underlying operational issues becomes more and more important.

Jim

 

[Junebug172]

Actually, numerous people should care - management, employees, and even customers who would like US to survive. Padding schedules to make up for underlying problems costs money, and not insignificant sums. With fuel getting ever closer to $4/gal, not having to spend the money to make up for those underlying operational issues becomes more and more important.

Jim

Pad the times and you pay the pilots and FA's more.

And you ultimately decrease aircraft utilization.

Its like putting a band-aid on a bullet hole.

 

[PHLFlyer]

Who really cares if the times are padded or not? The end goal is that you exceed the customer's expectations... The customer doesn't know or care how long the flight actually takes. They just know that you say you're leaving at X time, and getting there at X time. Beating those times is what makes the customer happy.

WELL SAID!!

 

[FWAAA]

Who really cares if the times are padded or not? The end goal is that you exceed the customer's expectations... The customer doesn't know or care how long the flight actually takes. They just know that you say you're leaving at X time, and getting there at X time. Beating those times is what makes the customer happy.

As a passenger, I don't care what the monthly rankings are - the only thing I care about is whether MY flights arrive close enough to their scheduled time to permit me to make my meeting or make my connection.

"Beating those times" doesn't necessarily make anyone happy, since that generally means you just sit and wait for an open gate upon arrival.

 

[SolidCactus]

Actually, numerous people should care - management, employees, and even customers who would like US to survive. Padding schedules to make up for underlying problems costs money, and not insignificant sums. With fuel getting ever closer to $4/gal, not having to spend the money to make up for those underlying operational issues becomes more and more important.

Jim

I totally see your point, but customer's expectations are important too. US just needs to work for the perfect balance. There was a time when I flew US that I never even paid attention to how long I had between connections because I just knew it didn't matter. We wouldn't get there on time, OR leave on time.

I eventually got so mad I didn't fly US for half of the year.

A few months ago, I came back. This time, US is meeting my expectations. The planes are leaving right on time. They are also cleaner.

You're right - in the long run, things have to take place to increase efficiency, BUT in the short run, meeting your customer's expectations is probably the best way to keep us coming back (at least the frequent flyer/business traveler). Get the customer's back first - while working on efficiency.

 

[BoeingBoy]

I totally see your point, but customer's expectations are important too.

I didn't say that meeting schedule isn't important to meeting one of the customer's expectations, but rather merely replying to your statement/question - "who cares" about padding the schedules or not.

You're right - in the long run, things have to take place to increase efficiency, BUT in the short run, meeting your customer's expectations is probably the best way to keep us coming back (at least the frequent flyer/business traveler). Get the customer's back first - while working on efficiency.

Agreed. But that, again, is different from your original "who cares" comment. Adding extra pad is merely an expensive fix for the underlying problems that affect on-time performance. Lots of people should care if that fix is used short-term to improve that metric while the underlying problems are addressed or considered a solution in itself.

Jim