Airline Affairs
Airlines Agree to Scrap Clashing Takeoffs:
The major domestic airlines have at long last agreed to modify their timetables so departure times do not clash. Under the old ‘cluster schedules’, which were causing many problems at KSA, upto 11 aircraft were often due for departure at the same time (usually on the hour or half hour). This inevitably led to delays so that most aircraft did not get off the ground at their scheduled time of departure. As an example, an aircraft scheduled to depart KSA at 8. 00am(a nice ‘round’ time as favoured by the airlines) might not have actually left the ground until 8. 15am or even later.
This was not appreciated by the passengers forced to turn up early for an 8. 00am takeoff when they could have arrived fifteen minutes later if the flight was so scheduled. Under the new scheduling arrangements, initiated by Australian Airlines on 2 September, staggered departures will now be standard so that delays and delay induced costs – which cost Australian Airlines $4. 4m in wasted fuel alone in a three month period — will both be reduced. The airlines will be given access to each other’s flight schedules s0 a working system can be devised. Delays are expected to be more than halved.
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