Arriving On Time

[USA320Pilot]

Arriving On Time

Just one week after rolling out its significant schedule change on Sunday, Feb. 6, US Airways has seen improvement in several areas of its operation.

In on-time arrivals, US Airways has met its goal, with a month-to-date average of 84 percent. This compares to last year’s performance of 83.6 percent. Since Feb. 6 to date, the average percentage of on-time arrivals has exceeded goal.

Additionally, the departure completion factor has not fallen below 99 percent since Feb. 6, giving US Airways a month-to-date average of 99.2 percent, up 0.3 percentage points year over year and 0.2 percent above goal.

In his most recent phone message to employees, Bruce Lakefield congratulated employees for running an efficient, reliable operation during the initial course of the schedule change. He pointed out that “this occurred even with shorter turn times and a reduction of block hours from the schedule. Both represent a significant increase in efficiency and cost savings.â€￾

The schedule change also drew positive reactions from the FAA. In Philadelphia, officials commented on the absence of morning Air Traffic Control restrictions and could not recall the last time they had seen that. FAA officials in Charlotte and New York, too, provided positive feedback about on-time arrivals and overall satisfaction with the new schedule change.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[Harry Callahan]

I notice he doesn't talk about all the missing bags.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Arriving On Time
In on-time arrivals, US Airways has met its goal, with a month-to-date average of 84 percent. This compares to last year’s performance of 83.6 percent.

Additionally, the departure completion factor has not fallen below 99 percent since Feb. 6, giving US Airways a month-to-date average of 99.2 percent, up 0.3 percentage points year over year and 0.2 percent above goal.

[post="247941"][/post]​

Only 0.4% improvement? I'd have expected more, especially with pretty good weather in PHL for the first week of the new schedule. That's well within the normal day to day variation.

Arriving On Time
He pointed out that “this occurred even with shorter turn times and a reduction of block hours from the schedule. Both represent a significant increase in efficiency and cost savings.â€￾

[post="247941"][/post]​

I certainly hope Bruce mis-spoke here. Wasn't there supposed to be an increase in block hours with this schedule change?

Jim

 

[JayBrian]

I'd be more interested to know the breakout of the PHL on time numbers numbers alone.

Jay

 

[A320 Driver]

I flew 4 legs Friday. Went through DCA twice. Started out behind because of de-icing. Stayed behind all day. All turns were less than an hour. Ground folks did fine until the last time through DCA (fueler can't add and agent mis-counted). We couldn't seem to get the people on and off the airplane with all this carry-on luggage. Not sure how WN does it. We were full or near full every leg. Needed maintenance the first time through and the mechanic was one of the nicest people I have ever met.

My point: all U employees still plugging away at it trying to do things the best they can.

A320 Driver B)

 

[nycbusdriver]

My point: all U employees still plugging away at it trying to do things the best they can.

[post="247950"][/post]​

Obviously the beatings will have to increase in intensity and frequency to reach the desired effect.

 

[jcavinato]

Re WN, it might be because the overheads are so small on that carrier. I think of magazine racks more than overheads when I see them. US's are generous in comparison. For me, I always tried to do carry on, because luggage was terribly slow. IAH, for example: 40 minutes was the norm with a full 737.

The average passenger's good experience on a plane nearly always gets dulled when it comes to waiting for luggage. It's the part of the overall service the airlines never seem to recognize, address, or own up to.

Another example, when it was flying, the Concorde in New York. I've waited 30 - 40 minutes for luggage. On an $11,000 round trip ticket, that sure bit.

 

[mweiss]

I'm with Jim on this...it's easy to achieve goals when you set the bar so low.

 

[BoeingBoy]

A quick "before and after" snapshot ....

For the 5 reported of the 7 days before the schedule change (the in-company daily only comes out M-F and reports the previous days statistics), mainline DOT on time arrival averaged 85.6% and completions averaged 99.02%.

For the 5 reported of the first 7 days of the new schedule, mainline DOT on time averaged 84.94% and completions averaged 99.26%.

I purposely left the Feb 6 numbers out of the calculations, in case some schedule changes started that day. Including it in either period would raise the average for that period since the 6th was a good day - 87.9% DOT on time arrival and 99.4% completion rate.

Jim

 

[funguy2]

Umm... I agree with Boeing Boy's pointing out of the dichotomy of management direction (schedule was supposed to increase block hours and utilization by reducing ground time, not reduce).

But I don't think a DOT Arrival goal of 84% is low... There was a time when 80% was the top of the scale! I would like to see the completion rate a little higher than 99% though... at least for the goal... maybe 99.5%. People get at lot more angry at cancels vs. delays.

 

[mweiss]

funguy2, the point was that they claimed that rolling the PHL hub would improve these stats. They haven't, in any statistically significant fashion.

 

[BoeingBoy]

To be fair, completion factor is driven by other factors more than delays, so rolling the hub wouldn't be expected to change it much.

Jim

 

[Phantom Fixer]

Oh Yes.....we have improved our arrival times so greatly , that the US Postal Service has kicked our arses straight to the curb.

This in another case of blowing smoke and calling it sunshine.

 

[mwereplanes]

I flew 4 legs Friday. Went through DCA twice. Started out behind because of de-icing. Stayed behind all day. All turns were less than an hour. Ground folks did fine until the last time through DCA (fueler can't add and agent mis-counted). We couldn't seem to get the people on and off the airplane with all this carry-on luggage. Not sure how WN does it. We were full or near full every leg. Needed maintenance the first time through and the mechanic was one of the nicest people I have ever met.

My point: all U employees still plugging away at it trying to do things the best they can.

A320 Driver B)

[post="247950"][/post]​

I imagine that last statement is very true. Of course with the incompetence still in charge (read Al Crellin) "plugging away" is kind of like beating one's head against the brick wall. Want proof? Here you go from Forbes online:
Swift completion of their appointed rounds? Not these guys. When the U.S. Postal Service entrusted America's mails to AMR's (nyse: AMR - news - people ) American Airlines and US Airways Group (otc: UAIRQ - news - people ), it was vastly disappointed. The USPS announced it has halted shipments by the two legacies because they didn't get the mail to destinations on time. The air routes used to ship first-class missives across the U.S. were suspended Feb. 12, after a five-month analysis showed consistent lateness, the Postal Service said. Tardiness has been a bone of contention since the carriers' contracts took effect in June 2003, the USPS said. "We put them on official notice in December that we expected improvement immediately," noted John Bonafilia, supervisor of commercial air operations at the USPS. "And actually, since then, the performance has declined even more," he added incredulously. One imagines that December warning must echo even more fitfully for US Airways' Chief Executive Bruce Lakefield than for his AMR counterpart. It was during the crucial Christmas holiday weekend that his carrier suffered a grievous snowballing of delays. (see: "Lakefield: US Airways Chief Calls Weekend Cancellations An 'Operational Meltdown'"). "

The employees never were the problem at U. Management continues in inept and incompetent ways. While the employees give up pensions, pay, working conditions and in a lot of cases even their jobs. Yet they demand no performance of the cretins running the show. They keep "plugging away" hoping against hope that things will work out.

Well I hope they do but until Crellin goes and someone competent is brought in who can run the operation the plugging is like the kid holding his finger in the dike. You can only plug the incompetence for a while. Sooner or later the U management is going to have to perform or the entity will fold.

mr
"

 

[SVQLBA]

Oh Yes.....we have improved our arrival times so greatly , that the US Postal Service has kicked our arses straight to the curb.

This in another case of blowing smoke and calling it sunshine.

[post="248305"][/post]​

The on-time issues with USPS are around mail not getting loaded on flights and/or not getting scanned -- not about aircraft OTP