Flights in the night

Started by dubAUT, May 20, 2010, 11:32:39 AM

dubAUT

If I'm not mistaken, since v1.2 there the PAX acceptance for a flight is affected by the time when it's scheduled. Is it correct, that flights should not start earlier than 7 am and arrive the final destination not later than 10 pm?

Razor2

They have a lower acceptance, but they can be made to work...just lower the prices. The real question is whether you can make money with an over night flight, even it has lower profitability it might be better than let your aircraft stand around all night.

NorgeFly

I think it's more like 5am and 11pm

Jupiter

Quote from: NorgeFly on May 20, 2010, 11:52:20 AM
I think it's more like 5am and 11pm

I've found midnight rather than 11 seems to be okay.

My question is whether there's any point to using slots between midnight and 5... my airport is running out of slots quickly, but there are plenty available then. Can any flight be profitable during these times? Long haul? Or should I just give up on those?

Curse

I have profitable flights (starting, ending, restarting and ending again) between 0 and 5am with A333, DC10-30, B773, B744, B734, B738, B733, ATR75 and Q400.... but make sure you fly to destinations with more demand then this one night fly, for example Los Angeles <> Las Vegas.

Jupiter

Quote from: Curse on May 21, 2010, 07:38:09 PM
I have profitable flights (starting, ending, restarting and ending again) between 0 and 5am with A333, DC10-30, B773, B744, B734, B738, B733, ATR75 and Q400.... but make sure you fly to destinations with more demand then this one night fly, for example Los Angeles <> Las Vegas.

It doesn't look like you're playing in any 1.2 worlds though. I should have made it clear that that's what I meant.

d2031k

Quote from: Jupiter on May 21, 2010, 09:34:00 PM
It doesn't look like you're playing in any 1.2 worlds though. I should have made it clear that that's what I meant.

He is in v1.2, ATB :)

Curse

Quote from: Jupiter on May 21, 2010, 09:34:00 PM
It doesn't look like you're playing in any 1.2 worlds though. I should have made it clear that that's what I meant.

On both routes is extreme competition (I have 100% demand and I think there are some competitors with another 100% or 150% of demand), but these routes are already served, so why not send the aircraft and earn some money, increase the daily route serving and stop others from going on "my" routes?

Also these are two very fast pictures, I'm sure somewhere in my schedule are flights at night with >80% LF, but forgive me if I'm not interested in searching them 3 hours.

B747 on short-haul/mid-haul


ATR-72



Edit: These are by the way standard prices, so a) no need for black them and b) I have no special offers for bad flying times.



Jupiter

Quote from: Daveos on May 21, 2010, 10:06:29 PM
He is in v1.2, ATB :)

Clearly paying attention in class was not my forte.

Maarten Otto

I reduce night departures to a minimum... (I have 2% at most departing after 23:55) But red eye flights over the Atlantic work.

Curse

Even at an Airport like Los Angeles (60 departures/hour) flights between 8pm and 12pm are gone now and there are no "inner continental" red-eye flights departing at 19pm with landings at 5am.

This is one point because it would be nice to say the pilotes "hey, don't fly maximum speed"  ;)  But, as postes, all (!) of my night flies make money. Not much compared to the normal flights, yes, but better a small amount of money than nothing.

GDK

I think it is dependent on the route. Passenger will not willing to travel a 2 hour flight between 2300 to 0500. But if it is long haul route, the LF seems not affected.

schro

Quote from: GDK on May 22, 2010, 03:39:29 PM
I think it is dependent on the route. Passenger will not willing to travel a 2 hour flight between 2300 to 0500. But if it is long haul route, the LF seems not affected.

Could this be driven by the classification of the route?  There's Domestic, Shorthaul Intl and Longhaul Intl.  I figure Longhaul is unaffected (or less affected) by time, but the real question is short haul Intl affected?

Sami


Curse

Long-haul is affected too... if Los Angeles - Milano is long-haul :)

Dookz

Longhauls are definitely affected, not just shorthauls. There is a noticeable difference. Red-Yellow loadfactors between 0000-0500. Price cuts don't change it very much.

jest

There is definitely a reduction of LF in ALL types of flights. That said, i am operating hundreds of night flights ( no other choice at my airport ) that are turning a nice profit. And yes i am playing 1.2 and routes have competition. Just try to fly somewhere where the return flight is not at night.

Grimvisage

Quote from: mini airbus on May 22, 2010, 04:09:47 PM
Longhauls are definitely affected, not just shorthauls. There is a noticeable difference. Red-Yellow loadfactors between 0000-0500. Price cuts don't change it very much.

Funny you should mention that because I've been experimenting with price changes on my late flights to see if cuts will actually help and if so, how much? The central question is whether or not there is a point of diminishing returns. Or is there any point in changing the price at all? So far I haven't been able to draw any conclusions.

Dookz

It's hard for me to sense the small LF changes of latenight flights due to pricing, if it does change at all, since they can vary each time the route is flown but for my case, it stayed in the same color. It is still profitable but for me it is about 30-40% less LF than one flown in daytime.

GDK

I'm not saying the route types, but the individual route. Not necessary all long haul are not affected and all short haul are affected.