US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Need I ask if Rolling Hub Working in PHL

I flew through PHL the first couple of days that the rolling hub went into effect and things seemed to a great improvement. Are they still better than before the rolling hub or was it just a freak of PHL that it was working well?

I've flown through PIT and CLT since then and both always functioned as well oiled hubs, but have an upcoming trip through PHL so was curious if it is same old, same old or the first sign that management is making improvements that are working.

I'm wondering the same thing. I've flown 10 segments to/fro PHL over the past couple of weeks and all my flights have been on time with minimal wait for takeoff. More importantly, the planes have pulled right into a gate and not have to wait longer than a minute or two for a GA to operate the jetway and let us out...

I think it's been a fluke... but I certainly welcome it.

Flew out of PHL three times on Saturday doing MRs and was "#1 for takeoff" each time. In my last three visits to PHL, I found security lines shorter and the airport less chaotic. There's a noticeable absence of jets at the gates when you look out into the alleyways. Flights this Friday and again on Monday--will report back. "#1 for takeoff" at PHL--I kept waiting for someone to wake me up! :D

Flew out of PHL three times on Saturday doing MRs and was "#1 for takeoff" each time. In my last three visits to PHL, I found security lines shorter and the airport less chaotic. There's a noticeable absence of jets at the gates when you look out into the alleyways. Flights this Friday and again on Monday--will report back. "#1 for takeoff" at PHL--I kept waiting for someone to wake me up! :D

I'm in and out of PHL twice on Friday as I complete an MR before heading off to MAD. Will report back.

WOW, I hope that this is all true and will become the norm. I've been avoiding PHL like the plague lately, so have no personal experience. However, I have some transatlantic flights that must go through PHL soon, so will keep a close eye on this thread.

^

Thet are having bad weather in PHL now and the delay is only 44 minutes ^ it use to be that bad weather meant at least 1 1/2 to 3 hour delays. Here is the FAA report:

Due to WEATHER, LOW CIGS/VIS, there is a Traffic Management Program in effect for traffic arriving Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, PA (PHL). This is causing some arriving flights to be delayed an average of 44 minutes.

I think things are improving in PHL there will still be some bumps in the road but it looks like "Clear Skies Ahead."

Just an update on PHL the wait times have not increase still at 44 minutes at 7:00pm. However, at EWR and LGA they have gone from 1:10 minute delay at 5:00pm to over 2 hours, see below:

Due to WEATHER, LOCIGS, departure traffic destined to Newark International Airport, Newark, NJ (EWR) is currently experiencing delays averaging 2 hours and 2 minutes.

Due to WEATHER, LOW CIGS/VIS., departure traffic destined to La Guardia Airport, New York, NY (LGA) is currently experiencing delays averaging 2 hours and 5 minutes.

Our PHL centered MR last weekend went very smoothly. All flights departed on time, 3 out of 4 arrived early. On both of the arrivals into PHL we went straight to an empty gate AND had someone to park us!

I received a short memo today that PHL was running fairly smoothly despite the weather conditions. However, Capt. Wench was flying through CLT tonight and said that it was a mess because of bad fog in ATL (messing up the southeast sectors).
I went through PHL on Saturday morning on the way to PHX, had a chock full A321 and got off the gate on time! That's the only trip I have going through PHL for the next 2 months, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the good news continues.

A big frustration for me was arriving at a gate and SITTING for 15-20 minutes before a GA would pull up the Jetway. If this has been fixed, then maybe PHL has a chance!

Of course loading luggage AFTER the flight had been fully boarded and being #17 for takeoff also were minor problems too! :D

Flew PHL to MIA this evening with heavy rain and fog. The check-in lines were very short and there was NO wait at the security lines. I looked at the monitors a few times and saw that most everything was running no more than 30 minutes late. We pushed back 15 minutes late and were ONLY number eight for departure (we waited about 10 minutes). All in all a very good experience in a city where the airport is known to start seizing whenever there a cloud somewhere over Central PA.

It seems like things are working a little better. Usually this kind of weather brings me home 2 - 3 hours late.

Somebody hold me...I'm scared... :eek:

From a US Airways employee bulletin posted at USaviaton:

ust one week after rolling out its significant schedule change on Sunday, Feb. 6, US Airways has seen improvement in several areas of its operation.

In on-time arrivals, US Airways has met its goal, with a month-to-date average of 84 percent. This compares to last year’s performance of 83.6 percent. Since Feb. 6 to date, the average percentage of on-time arrivals has exceeded goal.


Additionally, the departure completion factor has not fallen below 99 percent since Feb. 6, giving US Airways a month-to-date average of 99.2 percent, up 0.3 percentage points year over year and 0.2 percent above goal.

In his most recent phone message to employees, Bruce Lakefield congratulated employees for running an efficient, reliable operation during the initial course of the schedule change. He pointed out that “this occurred even with shorter turn times and a reduction of block hours from the schedule. Both represent a significant increase in efficiency and cost savings.”

The schedule change also drew positive reactions from the FAA. In Philadelphia, officials commented on the absence of morning Air Traffic Control restrictions and could not recall the last time they had seen that. FAA officials in Charlotte and New York, too, provided positive feedback about on-time arrivals and overall satisfaction with the new schedule change.




BTW, the big sked change at DCA has gone quite well. Biggest issue seems to be lack of gate space at peak times; there is not a whole lot of leeway in case a flight or two are delayed. It looks like the naysayers were wrong. Again.

"On Time Arrivals" is very deceiving. US pads its schedule for flights in/out of PHL, so the percentage of on-time arrivals belies the reality of sitting on the tarmac for 45 minutes waiting for takeoff if the schedule is padded by 30 minutes on the back end. Still, reading these posts gives me hope.

"On Time Arrivals" is very deceiving. US pads its schedule for flights in/out of PHL, As long as it's built into the published schedule so I can plan around it, it's fine with me that they pad.

Yes. If they arrive and depart within the bounds of the published schedule then you will not misconnect.

As long as it's built into the published schedule so I can plan around it, it's fine with me that they pad.

I counted...4pm on a Tuesday and there were six people in front of me at security. We were "#1 for take off" and arrived early in RDU; flight back arrived early in PHL and we rolled right up to the gate. Smooth as could be--impressive for a weekday late afternoon/evening rush time. Both flights full in F and near full in Y.

445 pm C security- 10 minutes ...barely a line AND only the cavity-search line and one other detector was being used.

Flight to MSY left ontime at 555 pm with 3 planes ahead of it for take off.

Amazing. Wonderful. Easy.

So what took them so long?

Any reports on wait time for baggage retrieval?

OK, call me stupid, but what exactly is a "rolling hub"? Can anyone explain what this is and how exactly it has affected the scheduling in PHL?

KIM

OK, call me stupid, but what exactly is a "rolling hub"? Can anyone explain what this is and how exactly it has affected the scheduling in PHL?

KIM

the alternative is to run the hub flights in "banks", where a huge number of planes come in at the same time, then turn around and depart en masse. this is the method that minimizes average scheduled connection times. the problem is that there is no slack in the system, and in most cases 40 planes can't all leave in the same 10 minutes and hope to do so on time.

a "rolling" hub spreads out arrivals and departures evenly-- no more banks. a plane heads out to a spoke, turns, and heads for the next hub, without regard to timing arrival there to a particular "bank". the average scheduled connection time is larger, but the gates get more even utilization, and there is less crowding on the taxiways and queueing for takeoff. at a large hub, the savings in lost time are huge, huge enough for instance at AA's DFW hub to be the equivalent of having 3 or 4 extra gates in capacity. the main hesitation in doing the change has been uncertainty over whether people would be willing to book "longer" looking average connections.

"A rolling hub gathers no moss!" :D :D :D

It also improves aircraft utilization allowing the airline to add flights without buying more planes.

Labor productivity is improved as well -- instead of having people working like mad for an hour and then twiddling their thumbs for 2 hours (figuratively speaking) they can work more steadily. For instance -- a jetway operator can greet more flights because the flights are spread out over time.

A few other benefits include lowering aircraft acquisition and/or leasing costs - if a plane flies more flights per day, the break-even point for the flight is decreased as the purchase or lease cost of the plane can be spread over more flights.

There also may be some fuel savings if PHL delays do indeed remain reduced, as there will be less fuel wasted in line for takeoff/taxi/wait for jetway operator/etc.

Thanks guys for the answers! I guess that all makes sense.....

KIM