Improving Connection Decisions

US Airways

The problem

At connecting airports, with hundreds of aircraft connecting throughout the day, not having pinpoint aircraft arrival information can result in unnecessary costs and passenger disruption, for the following reasons:

• Planes that should be held for connecting passengers are released (allowed to take off) too early because the airline thought the connecting plane would arrive later than the actual arrival time
• Planes that shouldn’t be held for connecting passengers are held too long because the airline thought the plane would arrive earlier than it actually did

These costs average more than $600,000 per hub per airline per year, according to one study.*

The solution: Portal

This PASSUR subscription was purchased to help the airline make accurate and timely connection decisions and reduce or eliminate wrong connection decisions.

• PASSUR Portal. This product, viewable on any Web-enabled screen (password controlled), provides the most accurate arrival information and ETAs to the airline employees who make connection decisions.

The results

A dramatic improvement in correct connection decisions – aircraft that should be held or aircraft that should be released – resulting in greater schedule completion, proactive rebooking, and reduced passenger frustration.

 * "Improving Airline Profitability Through Better Estimated Times of Arrival and Terminal Area Flight Information: a Benefit Analysis of PASSUR," George Washington University Aviation Institute. Order the study here.