What action creates the depature time shown on the website?
Jan 3, 2004, 1:01 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Posts: 8,960
What action creates the depature time shown on the website?
I have been monitoring the departure times of a flight ( AS #208) for several days now that we are taking tomorrow. ( I know...too much time on my hands) Today for instance the web site is showing that the flight left at 8:55... about fifteen minutes late. But when I do the flight tracker feature it shows that it left at 9:45...over an hour late....what is considered the departure time shown on the website? When they leave the gate or the ground.....just curious....
Jan 3, 2004, 2:18 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 5,953
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by david4455:
I have been monitoring the departure times of a flight ( AS #208) for several days now that we are taking tomorrow. ( I know...too much time on my hands) Today for instance the web site is showing that the flight left at 8:55... about fifteen minutes late. But when I do the flight tracker feature it shows that it left at 9:45...over an hour late....what is considered the departure time shown on the website? When they leave the gate or the ground.....just curious....</font>
I have been monitoring the departure times of a flight ( AS #208) for several days now that we are taking tomorrow. ( I know...too much time on my hands) Today for instance the web site is showing that the flight left at 8:55... about fifteen minutes late. But when I do the flight tracker feature it shows that it left at 9:45...over an hour late....what is considered the departure time shown on the website? When they leave the gate or the ground.....just curious....</font>
Jan 3, 2004, 2:41 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: An Island Paradise Near Seattle
Posts: 599
And the FlightTracker stuff is based on take-off as reported by the FAA. Thus, departures that get roughly on-time pushback but sit on the ground are "on-time" for reporting purposes, but may be three hours late due to ATC.
Eric
Eric
Jan 5, 2004, 8:05 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: AS MVP, Elevate, AAdvantage, Mileage Plus
Posts: 1,992
The "Flight Tracker" indeed shows the takeoff and landing times. Note that the takeoff times are usually accurate, but the landing times are estimated and can be quite a bit off, especially if the flight does a downwind leg prior to landing. Once, my friend was flying into OAK and they diverted to SJC due to poor visibility on final approach. "Flight tracker" listed the flight as having landed in OAK!
As far as Alaska's "flight status" is concerned, it shows the departure and arrival times according to when the plane pulls away from the gate and when it arrives at the gate. These times should be accurate to within a few minutes, although sometimes a plane can sit at the gate for quite a while after it has "departed" if the airport is experiencing delays/congestion. To the airline, departure time is when the flight "closes" (when it is ready to push). Also, I've noticed at SEA that the arrival time tends to correspond with when the main cabin door is opened and passengers start to disembark.
As far as Alaska's "flight status" is concerned, it shows the departure and arrival times according to when the plane pulls away from the gate and when it arrives at the gate. These times should be accurate to within a few minutes, although sometimes a plane can sit at the gate for quite a while after it has "departed" if the airport is experiencing delays/congestion. To the airline, departure time is when the flight "closes" (when it is ready to push). Also, I've noticed at SEA that the arrival time tends to correspond with when the main cabin door is opened and passengers start to disembark.
Jan 5, 2004, 8:13 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 5,953
Actually, to the airline, departure time is when the chocks are removed from in front of the plane and it begins it's push back. It may push back just a few feet and then sit there waiting for different reasons but, according to the airline, it has departed. Arrival is when the chocks are placed in front of the wheels once again.