Originally Posted by
altaskier
They can't really make up 50 minutes on an 8 hour flight...
It depends on the circumstances, but yes they can and more.
How much padding is in the schedule. On some routes there is a substantial pad for delays (hold for connecting pax, expected slow taxi and ATC).
Routing and winds (headwind/tailwind) can make a big difference. Being able to route efficiently for the winds, or take a much shorter alternate flight path from the designated one, can shave a lot of time off. Of course the reverse can also add a lot of time.
Direction of takeoff and landing. On some short routes this can double or half the flight time. Even on longer routes, at some airports it can make a material difference (eg SYD, NRT, LHR, etc).