Originally Posted by marlowe
a 40 or 50 min turnaround in the timetable allows you more flexibility allows you to recover from any disruption in the schedule once the low costs are behind schedule it affects the whole days flying for that airframe cos they are always chasing time, whereas if you have some down time it allows you chance to get back on schedule
Marlowe agree fully with that point and it is valid, however the more sectors you fly the more money making potential you have. If you keep the aircraft on the ground for an extra 20mins each turn round that could equate to an extra short return trip or an extra longer single sector per day. It also does not pay to have the aircraft sitting around all weekend making no money. The higher the utilisation the higher the potential revenue.
I admit higher utilisation also brings a higher likely hood of technical or handling delays but given that there is engineering support at all uk bases and contracted support abroad that should be better catered for than most low cost carriers.