redflyer65
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2004
- Posts
- 4,456
Southwest is 70% hedged right now. Plus the fact they make very few lease payment might have something to do with profitablity as well. (over 80% of the airframes are owned out right.
To contrast, look at USair. Absolutely ZERO fuel hedging, they've been paying spot prices on fuel this whole time. Delta and most other majors try to tame the volitility which is smart.
I've never seen any legacy carriers really turn any plane that fast, maybe if they are running late but not routinely. Most Delta domestic turns are planned at over 1hr (Hub and spoke), sometimes 1.5hrs. With short turn times like SW, you get more efficiency out of the planes and the gates. I would say that's a definable value. Southwest will sometimes turn 3 planes at one gate in the time it takes a legacy to get one out. Big difference in gate/space use.
I've gone to a Southwest gate thinking my flight was already boarding, but it was actually the flight just prior to mine. And the next plane is due in within 10 minutes. Amazing how it all comes together.
To contrast, look at USair. Absolutely ZERO fuel hedging, they've been paying spot prices on fuel this whole time. Delta and most other majors try to tame the volitility which is smart.
I've never seen any legacy carriers really turn any plane that fast, maybe if they are running late but not routinely. Most Delta domestic turns are planned at over 1hr (Hub and spoke), sometimes 1.5hrs. With short turn times like SW, you get more efficiency out of the planes and the gates. I would say that's a definable value. Southwest will sometimes turn 3 planes at one gate in the time it takes a legacy to get one out. Big difference in gate/space use.
I've gone to a Southwest gate thinking my flight was already boarding, but it was actually the flight just prior to mine. And the next plane is due in within 10 minutes. Amazing how it all comes together.
