Web: www.comeflywithfish.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
13/11/2008 – InsideTrip.com : Booking Your Flights Based On On-Time Statistics
Very often when I choose my flight schedule I try and find out a flight's on-time performance. In the past finding much of this information required me to use two or three web sites. While gathering this information is important, it could be cumbersome.
Using a new web site InsideTrip (www.insidetrip.com), which is still in its 'Beta Stage,' I am now able to have this information easily at my fingertips. Not only does InsideTrip show display the on-time statistics, it also displays the average security wait times for the flight, the load factor of the flight, and other valuable information.
Why is knowing the on-time statistics of flights so important to me? This information allows me to make educated decisions on the creation of complex itineraries, with minimal unnecessary time on the ground.
Obviously there are many unexpected factors that can come into play, such as weather, accidents, the occasional Union going on strike in Europe, but what I am looking for is the overall performance of the flight.
While looking up an itinerary for a business traveler in New York, who only needs 2 hours in Central London, this information allows me to quickly create a very short trip for this flyer. This business traveler will be flying between New York's JFK to London Heathrow (LHR) on November 24th, returning on the afternoon of November 25th. The following is the information gathered for this trip on InsideTrip in just under 45 seconds:
--OUT-BOUND--
Date: 11/24/2008
Flight: Virgin Atlantic/VS 4
Depart: New York/JFK (JFK)@ 6:10pm EST
Arrive: London/Heathrow (LHR) @ 6:20am GMT
Travel Time: 7hrs 10min
On-time States: Fairly Reliable / 70% On-Time
Security Wait: 8 minutes average
Aircraft: Airbus A340-600 (346)
Legroom: 55" (Business Class)
Average Age of Fleet: 3 Years
Load Factor: Fairly Full / 82%
--IN-BOUND--
Date: 11/25/2008
Flight: Virgin Atlantic/VS 45
Depart: London/Heathrow (LHR) @ 2:00pm GMT
Arrive: New York/JFK (JFK) @ 5:05pm EST
Travel Time: 8hrs 05min
On-time States: Less Reliable / 49% On-Time
Security Wait: n/a
Aircraft: Airbus A340-600 (346)
Legroom: 55" (Business Class)
Average Age of Fleet: 3 Years
Load Factor: Fairly Full / 82%
With this information found on InsideTrip, in under 45 seconds, I am fairly certain my client can get into Central London by 8:30am via the Heathrow Express and get back to Heathrow by 11:30am to check in, via the Heathrow Express.
While the return flight is only on-time 49% of the time, for this itinerary, what is most important is that the JFK-LHR flight is on-time 70% of the time (using other resources to view the last 10 days of actual departure/arrival times I can see that even if the flight is an hour late, this flyer should still be safe to get to their meeting by 8:30am GMT)
So, next time you're checking your flights, why not head over to www.insidetrip.com and check out this information for yourself.
Happy Flying!
Showing posts with label delayed flights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label delayed flights. Show all posts
25 July 2008
Getting Rebooked From A Cancelled Flight : A Simple Way To Reduce Stress & Increase Results
Web: www.thetravelstrategist.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
25-July-2008 - Getting Rebooked From A Cancelled Flight : A Simple Way To Reduce Stress & Increase Results
With the airline industry sudden reduction in flights, and a recent escalation in cancelled flights, I'd like to revisit on old topic.........the topic of beating your fellow passengers to a rebooked seat.
Whenever a flight is significantly delayed, or cancelled, there is always a frenzied rush to the podium to get seats rebooked. With 150+ passengers trying to get rebooked by two (maybe four) agents this process is slow and frustrating. The process is not only frustrating for the passengers, but also for the airline gate agents as well. Passengers are angry and the gate agents only have the information in front of them to help passengers get rebooked.
How do you avoid standing in line for two hours, getting angry and going face with an agent who is frustrated because they have to tell you "I'm sorry there are no seats on the flight connection that will get you from Chicago to Bakersfield tonight"?
When you travel make sure you have some important basic information with you
1) Potential alternate routes with your airline and the partner airlines of your carrier
2) The phone number of the airline you are traveling with
3) Your 'current' travel information, including not only your intended flight information, but also your 'Record Locator/PNR' as well. This information on your booking documents, even when you book through sites such as Expedia and Orbitz.
With this information, as everyone lines up fuming you can find a quiet place to sit down, call the airline (get put on hold), re-read your info and have the airlines phone agents rebook you. Agents on the phone do not have a line of people yelling at them. Agents on the phone also have more latitude to find alternate routes to get you to your destination. If you are a frequent flyer, you can also request a few 'compensation miles' for your troubles.
This information is extremely handy if you are traveling during peak times, such as during a holiday vacation period. Flight cancellations during these periods bring out the worst in people. When rebooking a cancelled flight you want an airline representative who is in a relatively good mood to help you out, not one who has just gone toe-to-toe with 100 other angry passengers.
Happy Flying!
25-July-2008 - Getting Rebooked From A Cancelled Flight : A Simple Way To Reduce Stress & Increase Results
With the airline industry sudden reduction in flights, and a recent escalation in cancelled flights, I'd like to revisit on old topic.........the topic of beating your fellow passengers to a rebooked seat.
Whenever a flight is significantly delayed, or cancelled, there is always a frenzied rush to the podium to get seats rebooked. With 150+ passengers trying to get rebooked by two (maybe four) agents this process is slow and frustrating. The process is not only frustrating for the passengers, but also for the airline gate agents as well. Passengers are angry and the gate agents only have the information in front of them to help passengers get rebooked.
How do you avoid standing in line for two hours, getting angry and going face with an agent who is frustrated because they have to tell you "I'm sorry there are no seats on the flight connection that will get you from Chicago to Bakersfield tonight"?
When you travel make sure you have some important basic information with you
1) Potential alternate routes with your airline and the partner airlines of your carrier
2) The phone number of the airline you are traveling with
3) Your 'current' travel information, including not only your intended flight information, but also your 'Record Locator/PNR' as well. This information on your booking documents, even when you book through sites such as Expedia and Orbitz.
With this information, as everyone lines up fuming you can find a quiet place to sit down, call the airline (get put on hold), re-read your info and have the airlines phone agents rebook you. Agents on the phone do not have a line of people yelling at them. Agents on the phone also have more latitude to find alternate routes to get you to your destination. If you are a frequent flyer, you can also request a few 'compensation miles' for your troubles.
This information is extremely handy if you are traveling during peak times, such as during a holiday vacation period. Flight cancellations during these periods bring out the worst in people. When rebooking a cancelled flight you want an airline representative who is in a relatively good mood to help you out, not one who has just gone toe-to-toe with 100 other angry passengers.
Happy Flying!
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