Originally Posted by
billdokes
It would be interesting to see how much AC's on-time performance would improve if they set block times the same as the airlines above them on the list.
OTP is relative to the schedule the Airline publishes so for example, if a UA + AC flight leave at the same time from EWR to YUL, and they both land 1h55m later, the AC flight is 'late' while the UA flight is 'on-time' as AC schedules the route at 1h36 mins and UA schedules it at 1h48 mins. The AC flight is 19 mins past schedule (late) while the UA flight is 7 mins past schedule (on-time).
AC has had delay issue for many years, so if changing block times would make a difference then AC would have already implemented this strategy.
And in my experience, especially within Canada, AC has in fact already done this with block times now considerably longer.
Have been flying commercially since mid-80s, and AC from late 90s, and until last 5 years, I can never remember arriving at AC destination regularly upwards of 20-30 minutes early (regardless of season or directionality). This says to me block times have already been extended, but AC not meeting these extended timelines with many more arrivals considerably late.
And I completely disagree with the comment that delays have no / little personal cost - my time with family / friends is routinely abused by AC operational negligence. And this already includes having to take early flights to avoid mis-cnxs that is another consequence of lack of OTP..
But I do agree with comment - fly elsewhere, which I routinely do, where it meets my travel decision-making criteria.
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