The Big Rat - First In Ontime Arrivals!

[Capn Bloggs]

Great to see the PR people finally using the only stat that counts - when you get there. Great big sign on road from airport - Qantas has best ontime arrival performance for Jan and Feb according to DOTARS (or whatever it's called these days).

I was a bit miffed though at the small print - "excludes Qantaslink". That must be your fault, Jarse.

The eco-warriors much be spitting chips though - all those jets ripping around at low altitudes and transonic speeds trying to make up time!!

And yes, Buster, I do know your previous employer used this stat in preference to the "norm"!

[zube]

Its easy for any airline to cook the statistics. Increase the scheduled flight time interval so you can depart late and arrive on time.

The schedule for MEL to ADL used to be 70 minutes. It got increased long ago.

Also if you are experiencing lengthy delays you reschedule the flight to a later time at the stroke of a computer key,and then the revised arrival is on time. Never mind that your passengers are missing appointments and connections, based on the original advertised arrival time. The statistics are covered.

[waren9]

And my bet is they'll keep winning it too.

Prolly the last airline to have scheduled sector times that bear some resemblance to reality. Some of the sector times I'm given to fly are impossible to achieve, even if you leave early you arrive late.

Still, atleast my roster meets F&D time limits when published.

[-438]

I think people have unreal expectations about Airline arrival and departure times.
Airlines are only as reliable as the people who travel on them, the bag chuckers, the scheduling, mechanical factors, the crews, the weather, ATC, airport design and congestion etc.
At least you can believe the QF times when they come from ACARS.
Do VB, Skywest, REX use ACARS for their on time figures?

[Capt Claret]

At least you can believe the QF times when they come from ACARS.

Ahh, the good ole days of the 14sux. "On time, no call back"!

[Ultergra]

Go Qantas!

[Crew rest.]

ACARS for OTP? VB does. The others no.

[Keg]

The schedule for MEL to ADL used to be 70 minutes. It got increased long ago.

Perhaps that's because it was unachievable a long time ago. MEL-SYD got increased from 1:20 to 1:30 a 'long time ago' also to reflect the time it took for about 70% of the flights to get from A to B. MEL-SYD got increased from 1:20 to 1:25 to reflect the time it takes for about 70% of the flights to get from A to B.

Also if you are experiencing lengthy delays you reschedule the flight to a later time at the stroke of a computer key,and then the revised arrival is on time.

If this were actually the case then I'm pretty sure the arrival statistics would improve significantly. The only flights that would be late would be those that run late after departure (which isn't often). I figure that'd be about 1:30. The rest would be canceled or rescheduled and thus not figure in the stats at all.

Perhaps this is simply QF being on time. (2 for 2 today with me.....the second arrived ten minutes early MEL-SYD).

[Ken Borough]

ACARS for OTP? VB does. The others no.

If this claim is correct, why do Virgin aircraft after every departure call their company on VHF with departure times (out and off), ETA for destination and reasons for any delay or delays together with the IATA code/s for the delay? Surely they don't trust ACARS?

Is DJ the only jet operator in Oz if not the world to not to use ACARS?

[obira]

DJ do not use ACARS for on time performance

This is direct from Virgin Blue's website:(http://www.virginblue.com.au/Personal/Flightinfo/Ontimeperformance/index.htm)

At Virgin Blue we measure our on-time performance as all flights that depart within 15 minutes of their stated departure time.[...]All figures are based on pilot log books and are internally audited.

obira

[Capt Claret]

Originally Posted by Ken Borough

If this claim is correct, why do Virgin aircraft after every departure call their company on VHF with departure times (out and off), ETA for destination and reasons for any delay or delays together with the IATA code/s for the delay?

Ken, I've used ACARS for a whole 3 1/2 years on the QFLink 717. Some of us still call back to confirm off blocks time & a delay code, if any.

Not many discrepancies but not that long ago, Bloggs said, ACARS on time, I won't call back. Later that day I was asked to explain a "Crew Checks" delay, posted by the departure station.

Always call back now!

[Dr Zoydberg]

VB do not have acars fitted to their aircraft.

[Dr Zoydberg]

I would not call an Embraer an aircraft.

[mcgrath50]

VB doesn't have ACARS but neither do the QF 737s, they have to manually enter all the timings for that.

[bdcer]

mcgrath50,
mate, QF737s do have ACARS & the times appear automatically (how I have NO idea?!). We do keep a paper trail too.
Cheers

[1746]

They sure do - I second on the previous post!

[A Comfy Chair]

I'd say its the fact that QF are actually doing better with their performance.

Have to say that all of my flights have been far far better, with only one or two minute delays here and there.

It isn't perfect (which airline is), but I'd say it is because of a concerted effort within QF to make improvements (along with the downturn), rather than just someone trying to "cook the books"

[Capn Bloggs]

Perhaps out with GOD and the 743s has made the difference?

[Eastwest Loco]

Chock to chock times are most probably system generated.

Direct link through Sabre to Amadeus indicates Out Time (off blocks) Off time (airborne) On time (landed) In Time (At Gate).

There is nothing more clear than that.

Checked locally, it is spot on.

Best all

EWL

[blueloo]

All completely out of our hands. All we do with ACARS is add our staff number and flt number, report time and flight plan flt time (So we get paid). All off chocks, landed etc is generated by the respective aircraft sensors.