Airline performance revealed

[ROH111]

VIRGIN Blue cancelled the most flights out of any Australian domestic airline last year, while Tiger Airways had the most late-running planes.

Qantas had the best record when it came to on-time departures while regional airline Regional Express had the least cancellations.

Qantas flights were on time nearly 86 per cent of the time, followed by Virgin Blue at 83 per cent, Jetstar at nearly 81 per cent.

Tiger Airways, meanwhile, was only on time 72 per cent of the*time.

News.com.au | News Online from Australia & the World | NewsComAu (http://www.news.com.au)

[Mr. Hat]

What "Airline" do you work for ROH111?

All your threads (from AFL to Egyptian rescue flights and now OTP) are in some way aimed at cutting VB down. Would love to know what your issue is with them. Its interesting to say the least.

We all know they aren't the best airline in the world but god knows they're not the worst. Perhaps you have some insight? Then again I may be imagining all this and its just the case that you adore QF.

[ROH111]

Mr Hat,

Am I lying? Was that last post in the news?

Egypt, did I say I hope QF dont send a -400 with RR's? And what happened?

Lighten up buddy, I try to be balanced. I respect you Mr Hat, Im not cutting anyone down, just posting what I read.

[Howard Hughes]

Have flown on about 20 domestic sectors in the last twelve months all except for 3 have been with VB, only 3 flights have been on time and only one of those was VB!

[airtags]

Stats compared for an interesting perspective:

1. Cityrail, Melbourne Metro (& Yarra Trams for that matter) all have better OTP than any of the carriers......

2. the OTP of the trains has (and will no doubt do it again) actually sink a State Government.

3. Shame isn't it that the same govt focus doesn't happen with aviation - not just with OTP but also safety

That said, OTP is a B.S. performance measure - the JQ delay-canx-renumber shufle, the pass the parcel game for assigning delay responsibility etc etc all is so far removed from the real performance indicator ....will I ARRIVE on time.

Let's face it if the aviation industry is serious about measuring performance then OTA is the ONLY benchmark...but that might look even worse for the govt!

sermon endeth

AT :E

[Global Xpress]

ROH, your initials arent AJ by chance are they? (stubby irishman)

[Mr. Hat]

ROH111, fair enough no offence intended. I got it wrong. My apologies :ok:.

[1a sound asleep]

Amasing statistics - Tiger had 100% of flights arrive after they had departed

[SgtBundy]

VB's cancellation rate would not have had anything to do with 11 days of ticketing SNAFU caused by an incompetent outsourcing company would it?

[43Inches]

VB's cancellation rate would not have had anything to do with 11 days of ticketing SNAFU caused by an incompetent outsourcing company would it?
For the last few years VB has had a cancellation rate bouncing between 1% and 2% each month, averaging 1.5% a year. I think its more to do with yield management and the odd computer glitch doesn't help.

The stats are all available by the month or anually on the BTRE site.

[Cactusjack]

The compilation of OTP stats is a waste of time,resources and money.
Australian aviation is not an even playing field for a number of reasons including;

Different fleet sizes ( e.g QF vs DJ )
Different fleet types
Different ports
Different turnaround Precision Timing Schedules
Aerobridges for some operators and stand-off for others
Different methods for recording OTP, some use pilot call back and some use ACARSJust to name a few differences. So basically the released stats are a load of bollocks that don't paint an accurate picture.

[Mr. Hat]

Some interesting numbers will come out when VB starts using ACARS.

[Cactusjack]

Some interesting numbers will come out when VB starts using ACARS.

Very true my friend. ACARS overall is the most accurate OTP gauge. It can be fooled though. If you connect and fully secure a conventional pushback tug to the aircraft El Capitano can release the brakes while the tug holds the aircraft in place. The ACARS message is sent that the aircraft is off blocks and on time, when it actually is still sitting at the gate. Problem is that ACARS also sends a message when the aircraft is airborne. So if say you have an average taxi time of 12 minutes and you have 'fudged' the off blocks time then the aircraft may not get airborne (according to ACARS) for maybe 20 even 30 minutes. Ops are then calling you suspecting the aircraft has pushed back but then clapped out or something like that. You have to have some good BS stories in your kit then, like maybe a runway change after pushback, taxiway and apron congestion etc etc, doesnt always work but I cannot keep count of the amount of times I have cheated the system. There is always a risk you will get busted 'fiddling the books' though!

I am not an ACARS electronic whizz but I believe that the ACARS message system can be set for either 'brakes release' on the aircraft or when the nose wheels first rolls during pushback. If that is the case and you set the ACARS for 'nose wheel roll' then you are pretty much stuffed when it comes to fudging the system. Mind you, when the ACARS system is down and you have to revert back to manual 'off blocks' reporting you can then call the aircraft 'off blocks' and on time even if it is a few minutes late, easy.But again, if Ops send the aircraft a message to confirm the Pilot's off blocks call and he reports different to the ground despatcher then you are busted !
All part of the game.

[Jetsbest]

If your doors are closed and you're ready to go "on time" then release the brakes to record an on-time departure. Ground staff are happy with that outcome too!!!

If your "taxi time" either side of "airborne" and "landed" is longer then so be it; the company's statistics on average times for sectors (airborne time and blocks times) can be used to enhance schedule integrity with accuracy. They can look at all the reasons: wx, ATC, routing, seasonal variations, gate assignment, aircraft type.... yada yada

In the end, a company can look better in it's OTP when it's schedules are not set by some desk jock who's blindly adding ten minutes of "taxi" to last year's "flight times" to arrive at the published (impossible) timetable... :p :ok:

[Cactusjack]

If your doors are closed and you're ready to go "on time" then release the brakes to record an on-time departure. Ground staff are happy with that outcome too!!!
It is a fudge if your 'company' has an SOP where 'brakes released' is a no no if the aircraft is not actually ready to push.
Each airline has its individual procedures and i'm certainly not against performing 'creative accounting' to see the tin out on time. Less paperwork for the Depsatcher and Pilot.

[Jetro6UL]

Build a new airport in Sydney and all carrier OTP will improve.

Mascot is a sick joke.

[CabinCrew747]

The compilation of OTP stats is a waste of time,resources and money.
Australian aviation is not an even playing field for a number of reasons including;
Different fleet sizes ( e.g QF vs DJ )
Different fleet types
Different ports
Different turnaround Precision Timing Schedules
Aerobridges for some operators and stand-off for others
Different methods for recording OTP, some use pilot call back and some use ACARS
Just to name a few differences. So basically the released stats are a load of bollocks that don't paint an accurate picture.

If the results where the other way around with QF on the bottom then what you are saying would be realistic but when Qantas have by far the largest and most varied fleet and still maintain the best performance then what your saying is rubbish.

Qantas operating the amount of domestic flights per day vs Virgin Blue, you'd expect the smaller carrier to have better performance i.e. less things to potentially go wrong. Where the airlines fly to is their choice. If their PTS isn't performing how it should then that's their problem. Whether they pay for remote stands or not is again their choice.

Well done to Qantas for their performance, why try constantly knock them down when this is clearly a great effort?

[stubby jumbo]

Nice one Cactus....I resemble those comments:D

You're right about comparing Apples with Oranges re: OTP.

"Management" bang on about it incessantly -yawn.

Perth is a case in point. How the hell can any airline get a consistent level of OTP with the way that WAC run the joint and with the runway config.???

At the end of the day....if the aircraft arrives on time or earlier then the punter gets off happy. Game Over

[Cactusjack]

Nice one Cactus....I resemble those comments:D
Sorry Stubby, one of the MODS had a sook and removed my post. It seems that a joke about CabinCrew747 checking mascara on the boys and grabbing me a cup of tea has become offensive ?
So much for free speach, especially when compared with some other crap posted every day.

And my resposne also to CabinCrew747 was basically to stop being a sook also. I wasn't having a shot at QF, I was defending the airlines when I say that the OTP stats are not based upon an even playing field due to the different fleet sizes, aircraft type, ports that the airline flies to etc etc.

Now, I am off for a cup of tea, would the MODS like me to make them a cuppa while I am at it, to prove I am such a nice guy??

[Mr. Hat]

Ah Cactus sad I missed it mate.

Unfortunately ROH111 is right. VB's OTP is dismal compared to what it used to be. We used to beat QF and J* every month. The figures will get worse when ACARS comes.

All the A. David emails won't fix it (has he gone yet?). You've got to be fair dinkum about it if you really want to solve it.

Let me ask how many times you are ready to go early and there is no one on a headset. Or a cargo door is still open. Its over and over again. That minute that it takes for old mate to chuck his headset on is usually what costs us 10 minutes while the rival has just requested his pushback. Strangely enough their schedule is identical (hardly a cold war secret) so the probability of us asking for a push at the same time is fairly high.

To me the fudging and lying is just the whole problem. How bout tell it like it is Cactus style: "Bloggs didn't have his **** together then f'd about talking to the ground staff about his holiday etc".

Personally I reckon it might be time for autoboarding as unpopular as it is but how many times its -12 and i still haven't seen one person and we've given the thumbs up as soon as we walked in?

[Cactusjack]

Mr Hat, I always enjoy your input my friend. Let me add some points -

To me the fudging and lying is just the whole problem.
Absolutely. If you are going to lie, embelish, distort or blanket the truth (or cause of the problem) then how the hell can you fix the problem.
One airline I know has 'code 990 Miscellanious' in it's delay code book, yet the ground staff are NOT aloud to put any delay down to this particular code, it is not accepted by management !
Example : A Caterer accidently drops a salad roll onto the head of a passenger during boarding. The passenger is not injured but has a dummy spit and gets into a heated argument with the Caterer. Cabin Crew calm the situation but a 3 minute delay occurs as a result. Now there is no delay code in existence that covers salad rolls or a pax arguing with a Caterer, so the 3 minute delay should be entered as a 990, yet that won't be accepted...End result is that the delay will be put down as pax slow to board, aircraft had to wait for a pushback on the adjacent gate or some other lie. Hence the problem.

Let me ask how many times you are ready to go early and there is no one on a headset. Or a cargo door is still open. Its over and over again. That minute that it takes for old mate to chuck his headset on is usually what costs us 10 minutes while the rival has just requested his pushback. Strangely enough their schedule is identical (hardly a cold war secret) so the probability of us asking for a push at the same time is fairly high.
Absolutely correct. Often sheer incompetence is the casue of the delay, agreed. But then again you must remember that an aircraft always departs with the same crew contingent for example 2/5 or 2/4 these days, that number is fixed. But daily ground operations and staff numbers are not fixed which can meen that if aircraft are off schedule, no overtime is allowed, so as a result staff numbers are short, then there is busted planes meaning the engineers are also short handed if denied overtime to cover the shortfall or extra workload, then there is sick staff and stingy managers not allowing overtime to cover the shortage which means ground crew numbers are lean and delays will be inevitable if the crap hits the fan.

All the A. David emails won't fix it (has he gone yet?). You've got to be fair dinkum about it if you really want to solve it.
Oh Mr Hat how you make me laugh. His emails were always laughable to say the least, if he and his emails could have fixed the problem he wouldn't have been made to walk The Green Mile ! Yes he is gone and a lot of faith has been put in his replacement who at this point is starting to see the layout of the landscape in front of him. I think the next year or two will be tight as the new management rebuild the airline but certainly good days lay ahead.