CASM and outsourcing

[CA1900]

How do you define "quality"?

Well, maintenance, for one.

Last summer, I rode on two planes with deferred APUs. On the Alaska flight, a functional air conditioning cart was hooked up to the plane, and stayed hooked up until the last possible moment to keep the plane cool. On the Mesa flight, we baked in the Virginia sun with no airflow, while the dripping wet flight attendant repeatedly apologized and passed out cups of tepid water. I can only imagine how hot the cockpit was.

The Alaska plane got pulled down for repair after one leg. The Mesa plane, according to the pilots, was on its third day with a blown APU, and there was no plan to get it fixed any time soon.

 

[jetpig32]

Too many variables. Another metric I find interesting is how many employees per aircraft. Southwest has one of the lowest, I'm pretty sure. I think around 8. The larger the number, the higher the cost. The larger legacy airlines have a higher employee headcount per aircraft, which is part of the CASM factor.

Humm. 550 AC * 8 EMP/AC = 4400 Employees work at WN.

 

[Jetjockey]

I meant crew.........

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

Too many variables. Another metric I find interesting is how many employees per aircraft. Southwest has one of the lowest, I'm pretty sure. I think around 8. The larger the number, the higher the cost. The larger legacy airlines have a higher employee headcount per aircraft, which is part of the CASM factor.

In 2009 American Airlines spent roughly $72 for every one-way passenger it flew on employee salary and benefits. By comparison, Southwest Airlines spent just $40 for every one-way passenger it flew on employee salary and benefits.

This is not surprising, since in 2009 for every employee Southwest had it was able to transport 2,500 passengers while American could only manage 1,300 passengers flown for every employee it had.

(Source: http://www.airlinefinancials.com/airline_data_comparisons.html Charts 51 and Chart 57)

I think it's safe to say that AA has way too many managers at HDQ and elsewhere.

 

[IBNAV8R]

The quality is not even close...what stupid post

Riddle me this, Robin?

Why is that a certain regional airline consistently outperforms its major partner in customer satisfaction - while supposedly flying 45% of said partner's flights and despite partner's efforts to hamstring said regional's performance?

 

[Skyboy722]

I meant crew.........

WN has almost 6000 pilots, or roughly 11 per A/C. But your general point is correct though, the staffing is very efficient.

 

[IBNAV8R]

It's not only the number of employees per passenger flight, it's what those employees do. Happy employees tend to work harder than pissed-off ones.

I.e., 4 WN rampers to turn a 737 in 30 minutes vs. UAL needing 6 to turn a bus and taking an hour.

Legacy management will NEVER get that.

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

It's not only the number of employees per passenger flight, it's what those employees do. Happy employees tend to work harder than pissed-off ones.

I.e., 4 WN rampers to turn a 737 in 30 minutes vs. UAL needing 6 to turn a bus and taking an hour.

Legacy management will NEVER get that.

Truer words have never been spoken my friend.