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Southwest's on-time performance

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Traderd

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
2,073
It looks like things have been corrected and no damage done to the thing that really matters; the bottom line. I see some contentious remarks here around the Southwest trips and turnaround times so I thought some might find this article interesting.

The Real Story Behind the collapse in Southwest's On-time Performance

http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-southwest-air-20141014-column.html

"Starting last fall, passengers on Southwest Airlines' usually reliable flights began noticing a sharp deterioration in on-time performance. More flights arrived late, and more flights sat on the ground past their departure times, waiting for connecting passengers from flights that arrived late, and so on and so on."

"The airline explained to the press, blandly, that its problems were caused by "scheduling too many flights at the most popular takeoff times," and shortening the turn -- the time set aside for loading and unloading passengers -- to accommodate the super-packed schedule."

"Now, courtesy of Brett Snyder of the popular travel website crankyflier.com, we're getting a fuller explanation. The problem was caused by Southwest's deliberate, and very ill-advised, strategy to cram more flights into its schedule without expanding its aircraft fleet and while adding seats to its existing planes."

"Its passengers-per-plane, or "load factors," had risen, making it harder to load and unload passengers to meet its narrow turn times. As Southwest's service cities had expanded, more passengers were checking bags, another obstacle to quick turns. Even a five-minute delay in an early flight reverberated through the day, so that an aircraft might be as much as an hour off-schedule by its last flight."

"Amazingly, Snyder reports, Southwest was unable to quickly revise its schedule to eliminate delays because of its antiquated reservations system, which couldn't accommodate a large number of schedule changes. Only this year was the airline able to implement a new schedule, starting in August."

"As Southwest officials explained to Snyder, turn times for even the smaller-capacity Boeing 737s in the carrier's fleet were increased to 35 minutes, and on larger-capacity planes as much as 50 minutes. Gate-to-gate timings have been lengthened."
 
The article failed to mention that the consumer and Wall Street don't seem to mind.
 
I thought it was due to cockpit crew members getting caught in line at terminal Pizza Hut Expresses waiting for personal pan pizzas? With tight turn times and 5-6 legs a day (especially intra Texas on non glass 737-300s/500s), those guys/gals need something other than peanuts, pretzels, and whatever other kibbles and bits are served. And with that huge pay, I would bet that they don't just get a "Cheese" or even a "Pepperoni" pizza, but rather go "all the way" and get the "Supreme." Well done studs! But, run back to the gate, your ontime performance is important! And running in a "Fonzi like" jacket looks ridiculous.



Bye Bye---General Lee
 
It's because they don't have a regional. That new paint job wouldn't look too bad on a CRJ 700
 
"Amazingly, Snyder reports, Southwest was unable to quickly revise its schedule to eliminate delays because of its antiquated reservations system, which couldn't accommodate a large number of schedule changes. Only this year was the airline able to implement a new schedule, starting in August."

I've heard that SWA uses an antiquated rez system a couple times now. I understand nothing is free, but does SWA have any intention of updating their rez system in the future?

SWA guys?
 
Yes. The International Res. System is Amadeus, and the Domestic Res. System which is currently Braniff's old Cowboy System will be updated to Amadeus within the next two years. So, once that's accomplished, the Res. System should run much more smoothly
 
Everything still on Herb time?
 
Everything still on Herb time?

For a guy who supposedly works at Delto, you and your buddy are sure into Southwest way more than any OAL pilots I know. Obsess much? :eek:
 
The article failed to mention that the consumer and Wall Street don't seem to mind.
Actually. the consumer indifference was was mentioned in the second paragraph.

"Luckily for Southwest, the airline had built up a reservoir of goodwill from years of low-frills but effective service so that its statistics on customer complaints didn't soar even as its on-time performance collapsed."

Loyal customers tend to cut you some slack when they look back on all the times that it wasn't screwed up.
 

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