why are the planes so frequently late ?

Hello all

I am flying VS027 to Orlando tomorrow 2nd November 2006

Just lately the VS planes seem to be running about 1 hour late regularly.

Any reasons for this ?

Surely if it's security checks holding things up then the airlines / airport should be getting the passengers checked in, security checked on arrival and re-security checked at the gate earlier.

regards

paul

I believe you have quite probably answered your own question. But on the other hand have you tried to schedule 100 flights a day, including all Cargo and don't forget passengers love to visit the Duty Free shop before a slow walk to the plane.

Paul

[honey lamb]

Hi Paul

I flew on VS27 last Saturday which left an hour late. This was because of a technical problem with the brakes which was being sorted out while we were boarding. This is common practice so that the aircraft can depart as soon as the problem is resolved rather than then have to waste another hour and miss ATC slots boarding passengers. In our case they announced the problem was solved 30 minutes after our departure time and were completing the paperwork which took another 30 minutes

[HighFlyer]

These flights have been running late since the new security measures were introduced, see here and here also for other reports of the same.

Sadly the BAA and the security staff do not seem to be very helpful in assisting passengers with these delays, especially at Gatwick. When we flew out of LGW last month the staff were positively rude and Fasttrack was closed. It took us an hour to get through security! Late passengers make late planes which has a knock on effect to departure and arrival times for the flights.

All we can do it be patient [:(]

Thanks,
Sarah

Hey,

Delayed planes can be due to a whole host of problems, tech faults, cargo, delayed passengers, even if they are checked in, and through security, the airlines can only really do passenger anouncements to get them to the gate once through security, they are either at duty free or in a bar! And there is always one passengers that is late, and delays the whole flight for everyone! [n][n]

Maybe the airlines could tag passengers so they could find them in the terminal!! [}:)]

Originally posted by DMetters-Bone
Maybe the airlines could tag passengers so they could find them in the terminal!! [}:)]

Don't joke. Some clown has suggested tagging us with RFID in the terminal like common criminals.

Yet again, our civil liberties are slowly pared away.

George Orwell and Aldous Huxley weren't just authors, the were a visionaries of a future where our privacy is completely eroded.

Mike

[Bazz]

Perhaps some sort of paging like some restaurants use to advise you that your table is ready could be workable? Less intrusive that RFID but may stop late departures due to pax not getting to the gate on time.

There are more delays these days due to late loading of bags and catering due to security measures as opposed to late passengers.

VS are pretty good at specifying "be at the gate X minutes before departure" and closing the flight.

Also similar delays are causing plane departures to bunch up and a traffic issue leading to the runway.

Would it be wrong to suggest that passengers who had checked in early enough and when others had made it through security in time have only themselves to blame and should be left behind?

If airlines started doing this it would not be long before the stragglers in duty free reassessed their priorities.[}:)]

Believe me we do this and many, many a tantrum have been had because of it. Contractually (check your boarding pass) you are required to be at the gate 30 minutes before departure and the airline are quite within their rights to offload you if you aren't there although that isn't always practical especially with open gate rooms where you are reconciled just before you go on to the aircraft.

VAA has a very tight flying schedule especially at LGW, it may sound bad but it's the only way we can stay profitable. To keep a 747 on the ground for no reason costs approx $1m a day so the aircraft have to be utilised to a maximum. Where that becomes a problem is it only takes the slightest problem or delay to cause disruption spanning several days.

LGW has been suffering the last week or so due to several technical issues and medical diversions etc etc. It may be difficult to comprehend (and I don't mean that to be as patronising as it sounds) your flight tomorrow could be delayed because it was late being towed over from the hangar due to air traffic congestion two days ago or because 3 days ago a passenger was taken ill and the aircraft had to divert.

Why are some planes late?? ..Given the number of variables, I'm surprised any planes run to time at all. I'd hate to work in ops.. or even worse, airline customer services desks.

I had to stop watching 'Airline'.. I got so annoyed at the muppets giving the Ezy girls verbal after turning up late, or giving out about delays. Grrrrr...

Originally posted by G_NEUS
Would it be wrong to suggest that passengers who had checked in early enough and when others had made it through security in time have only themselves to blame and should be left behind?

If airlines started doing this it would not be long before the stragglers in duty free reassessed their priorities.[}:)]

Alas, sounds good to most of us, but there's a problem with it!

Their bags are onboard and must be offloaded if the pax aren't on the plane. Guess what doing that will mean???

Another delay...[n]

Originally posted by vs_itsallgood

Originally posted by G_NEUS
Would it be wrong to suggest that passengers who had checked in early enough and when others had made it through security in time have only themselves to blame and should be left behind?

If airlines started doing this it would not be long before the stragglers in duty free reassessed their priorities.[}:)]

Alas, sounds good to most of us, but there's a problem with it!

Their bags are onboard and must be offloaded if the pax aren't on the plane. Guess what doing that will mean???

Another delay...[n]

I once saw this offloading in action at Amsterdam. The container that contained the luggage was identified and off loaded easily enough, but then search began. This seemed to involve a competition to hurl each bag they moved as high in the air as possible before letting it fall to the concrete. [:0] Glad mine - which I saw describing a graceful arc - only contained grubby clothes.

Paul

I was on VS027 yesterday (1st Nov) and it was over an hour late. I'm really not surprised seeing the way the security was at gate. The FSM came around with one of those in-flight surveys and I got talking to her. She explained the mornings inbound flight was only 15 Minutes late but as the flight was almost full there was no way it was ever going to take off on time.
I'll do a TR a bit later when my brain and my body join the same time zone (it's 5.20am here but i'm wide awake)[|)]

-Steve

I have to say it is very rare for every flight from LGW to leave on time. We normally get the last Orlando flight out and each flight normally leaves at least 10 to 15 minutes late. I think it's a combination of occasional travellers not being aware of timings to get to the gate etc plus the fact that the few a/c based at LGW are only ever on the ground for a few hours so if it is late getting in on the previous flight it is often hard to completely make that time up.

Having travelled through LGW on VS recently the security secondary checks haven't helped getting flights off on time. Having said that with strong tail winds its possible to make time up.

Though with the relaxation in security announced today maybe things will begin to look up for delays due to security.

There's a lot of factors which can cause it. A lot of good points by the posts here before mine.

It's important to remember that while airlines tell you to be there x number of hours early and be to the gate x number of minutes before departure, there is and always will be last minute people. The challenge then becomes do we let them on the plane when they show up 20 minutes before, or start tearing through the cargo compartment to remove their luggage, then give the flight deck the new cargo load numbers, have them amend their paperwork, etc.

Our gates close 15 minutes before for domestic flights, and often times even with an RJ you're better off giving the passenger the extra 5 minutes to get onboard rather than finding their luggage.

I was listening to JFK atc the other night when there was all the high wind advisories in the northeast, and they were posting 75-90 minute taxi times to the runway... that doesn't help operations for any airline either.