Originally Posted by georgetg

Re: "Latency" Bulletin:
As someone else mentioned, Delta is getting big into "data mining."
When compared to our competitors data-set, our structural deficiencies or operational issues start to becomes evident.

As pilots while we might not have the "big picture," we do have a front row seat to the operation and if asked would be able to put our finger on quite a few issues...
Of course most of the time we end up greasing the skids to make the whole operation run without a hitch and on time. There are many little things as cockpit crews we do daily that facilitate a smooth operation. When we stop doing that, the whole operations takes a big hit.

Unfortunately this proactive approach helps mask operational or structural issues in other departments...issues that never get fixed because their negative effects are being continuously mitigated by cockpit crews. It's like a minor squawk you don't put in the book. Three weeks later you get the same jet and it still has the squawk because nobody else has put it in the book...

That's how I read the memo, nothing more, nothing less.

But here's a look at a blip of the "Data" that most likely triggered the memo:
Our taxi times from OUT to OFF compared to our competitors
As you can see, on average, Delta aircraft spend 5-10 minutes more on the ground from OUT to OFF...
And while I don't have the data, I'd imagine the numbers in ATL to look about the same, thus the attempt at "pushing on the 45" to save time.

Obviously when viewed through the data mining lens, these minutes become accretive and suddenly we "recover" several aircraft/day by adding up all the time.
The motivation here is doing more with less. We've shrunk to the point where any further cuts in capacity have big negative affects on CASM and these efforts are a an attempt to gain some wiggle room.

Cheers
George