Originally Posted by
full of luv
Just a quick question.... but how does increasing block hours IMPROVE on-time performance? It would actually seem to be counter productive to try and fly more with the same amount of metal and expect a more on-time operation.
OTP is based in on scheduled in time + 14 minutes. If a flight that normally takes 1+45 is consistently 25 minutes late, you just pad it with 15 extra minutes of block and all of the sudden it now appears to be on time according the the DOT.
The airlines that pad their block more are on time more. It costs money and decreases utilization to increase block times, so airlines don't like doing it for that reason.
The real issue with padding block is that it doesn't get to the root of the problem, it just masks it. If a station ground ops crew is performing poorly or there is an ATC issue, it gets buried by padding block.
Crews like it because airlines normally pay on scheduled block or actual block, whichever is greater.