Originally Posted by
TangoAlphad
I'm afraid I don't know where they get the rest of it then I'm afraid. From what I can see we only file a flight plan with the reg within 12-18 hours before departure.
I suspect a stroke of luck. Often aircraft are planned back to back all day. Just occasionally you get a few hours between crew changes... these aircraft are extremely expensive and they don't make money on the ground for the convenience of pax. Sad but the way the game is!
I think to a large extent you make your own luck if you can, TA
Might be worth a closer look at the specific example if you like - we are talking about Athens based* aircraft. Take a look at FR14 31.7 operated by EI-ESZ which arrived in Stansted on time. It was then almost 3 hour delayed (no EU261 claims possible there!) as FR15 back to Athens and had next been pre-allocated (according to Flightradar24) to FR4934 Athens to Billund. Now when FR4934 were called to board there were two FRs on the ground allocated to other destinations, but there was a third very shortly inbound from Memmingen that was due out again two and a bit hours later to Bratislava. That was EI-FTA. It arrived on stand where FR4934 were waiting to board.
EI-ESZ remained allocated to FR4934 (per Flightradar24) right up to EI-FTA startup in its place. EI-FTA took off operating FR4934 on time, and probably simultaneously EI-ESZ ceased to be allocated to FR4934 per Flightradar24 data. I saw a while later that for a period it didn't show as allocated to any other flight 31.7 until it actually started up an hour or so late to Bratislava! Meantime though for those same couple of hours EI-FTA was still allocated for Athens-Bratislava even though it was more than half way to Billund
Both aircraft returned to Athens base where they had both started the day* - EI-FTA on time and EI-ESZ actually an hour and a half late as it picked up extra delay in Bratislava but still nowhere near the 3 hour delay it had picked up at Stansted - I am still impressed. It is surely part of Ryanair's base route schedule design plan and quite clever if I am right about it.
*Edit: Actually not quite true - EI-FTA started in Santorini and short-hopped to Athens and returned there 40 odd mins late through Athens last flight (8 sectors yesterday 31.7), but all the same, quite neat!