AC September OTP 69% (80% target)
Oct 1, 2012, 10:29 pm
#17
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 6,222
UA's 72% doesn't really inspire either.
I notice that DL, with a load factor just shy of 90%, was maintaining a 92% OTP (in July, I think.) That means that 11 flights out of 12 are departing/arriving on time. And those flights are often full.
I notice that DL, with a load factor just shy of 90%, was maintaining a 92% OTP (in July, I think.) That means that 11 flights out of 12 are departing/arriving on time. And those flights are often full.
Oct 2, 2012, 6:51 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 12,068
I must be one of the few that has the good fortune of having very few delays.Of the 80+ segments on AC/AC Express to date in 2012,I can count on one hand the delays.
Last week I had a flight push back from the gate 9 minutes early,while I was trying to make a cnx. Missed that one and was delayed for 2+ hours
Last week I had a flight push back from the gate 9 minutes early,while I was trying to make a cnx. Missed that one and was delayed for 2+ hours
Oct 2, 2012, 11:23 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: +61
Programs: SQ*PPS, QF-WP1 & LTG, VA-Gold, Marriott*LTT, Hilton*Gold, Accor*Platinum
Posts: 5,735
The thing I noticed the most between UA and AC flights...
UA flights definitely start boarding 30 minutes in advance.
AC flights continually find creep to their boarding times, often starting 20-25 minutes in advance even if everything looks ready (plane at gate, crew on board, etc).
UA flights definitely start boarding 30 minutes in advance.
AC flights continually find creep to their boarding times, often starting 20-25 minutes in advance even if everything looks ready (plane at gate, crew on board, etc).
Oct 2, 2012, 12:14 pm
#23
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Charlottetown, PE YYG
Programs: AC*SE, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 303
The thing I noticed the most between UA and AC flights...
UA flights definitely start boarding 30 minutes in advance.
AC flights continually find creep to their boarding times, often starting 20-25 minutes in advance even if everything looks ready (plane at gate, crew on board, etc).
UA flights definitely start boarding 30 minutes in advance.
AC flights continually find creep to their boarding times, often starting 20-25 minutes in advance even if everything looks ready (plane at gate, crew on board, etc).
Oct 2, 2012, 2:33 pm
#24
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 6,222
Almost exactly a decade ago Air Canada declared that their poor OTP was due to people not being at the boarding gate when boarding began, and therefore they were advancing the boarding time from 30 minutes before departure to 35 minutes before departure.
But in the decade since, it's been exceedingly rare in my experience that boarding even begins at 30 minutes. The only exceptions have been some international long haul flights, and even then boaring seems to delay the flight.
As I noticed in a now ancient thread (Show me the button!):
But in the decade since, it's been exceedingly rare in my experience that boarding even begins at 30 minutes. The only exceptions have been some international long haul flights, and even then boaring seems to delay the flight.
As I noticed in a now ancient thread (Show me the button!):
I also again noticed the new 35 minute advance "boarding time" printed where departure time should be on the boarding pass. Now I've only been on four AC flights since this new policy took effect, but so far not one of them has even started boarding at the 30 minute advance time, nevermind the 35 minutes. So here's a tip for the brain trust at AC -- if you don't start boarding until 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time, it won't matter how early everyone shows up to the boarding area -- you'll still depart late.
Oct 2, 2012, 5:33 pm
#25
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ontario, CAN
Posts: 5,813
- Or UA allows longer turn around times
- Or UA has longer block times
- Or UA is not trying to rearrange all of their maintenance due to the shutdown of their primary provider
- Or UA is more creative and/or proactive in mitigating delays
- Or UA is more creative and/or proactive dealing with delays when they happen
- Or UA has a much larger fleet and more hubs to cushion the effects of delays, including weather
- Or UA has a much larger workforce so when some employees time out at the end of the month there's a larger pool to cushion the effects
- Or UA isn't suffering a shortage of employees necessitating a hiring binge.
- Or UA isn't waiting on the delayed delivery of aircraft (particularly after merging 2 fleets each larger than AC's)
- Or UA has longer block times
- Or UA is not trying to rearrange all of their maintenance due to the shutdown of their primary provider
- Or UA is more creative and/or proactive in mitigating delays
- Or UA is more creative and/or proactive dealing with delays when they happen
- Or UA has a much larger fleet and more hubs to cushion the effects of delays, including weather
- Or UA has a much larger workforce so when some employees time out at the end of the month there's a larger pool to cushion the effects
- Or UA isn't suffering a shortage of employees necessitating a hiring binge.
- Or UA isn't waiting on the delayed delivery of aircraft (particularly after merging 2 fleets each larger than AC's)
-UA and AC each fly early AM YYZSFO w/ A320. Block times are 5 mins apart
- AC's OTP was horrible before Aveos
- Not sure what that means, it's not really subjective. How many flights dock within 15 mins of schedule
- Not sure what that means, it's not really subjective. How many flights dock within 15 mins of schedule
- UA has a bigger fleet ...... And many more scheduled flights (which could also be delayed)
- ....
- ....
Operationally AC has many helping elements to get flights where they're supposed to be (less congested airports, less congested airspace, newer fleet). Hard to imagine how they can lag the competition in this regard.
We can agree to disagree on why they're at the bottom, let's just hope the positive trend continues and AC can crack 70% for xmas
Last edited by CloudsBelow; Oct 2, 2012 at 9:51 pm