Originally Posted by
WR Cage
One of the first things Ben did at AC was to restructure the hourly shuttle service (YYZ-YUL, YYZ-YOW, YYZ-LGA) so that flights either left on the hour or on the half hour. Previously the schedule was created for operational efficiency with flights every 1:15. These simple from a customer perspective improvements are Ben Smith's core wheelhouse.
Departures at the same minute every hour? That is how Air France La Navette *used* to work, but for efficiency reasons they moved away from that model. Efficiency of AF that is, not efficiency of customers. But it's a French thing. Keeping matters simple (plane at same minute past the hour, from the same gate(s); or TGVs at the same minute past the hour from the same platform), nope, too intuitive, too much thinking from a customer's (usager!) perspective.
So far, I like what I see of the guy. Let's see when we reach the point where he'll do things that make perfect sense, but we won't like (such as life time Plat for 35 year olds). But until, then, let's wish him luck and a strong ability to move things.