I was just wondering about SN's load factors and how those vary throughout the day. Latest figures for june were just below 70%. But how do these vary during the day?
My point is, there is a lot of traffic in the morning and evening "hub waves" (don't know if these are really defined at SN?).
All long-haul departures of SN (Africa, JFK), UA, AC, 9W, and also other codeshares (e.g. US, Thai, Hainan) are in the morning to early afternoon. Therefore, morning flights have the advantage of feeding passengers to the long-haul flights.
On the other hand, all these long-haul flights also arrive in the (early) morning, feeding short-haul connections departing shortly after. But all flights later in the day (from noon on) have no feed whatsoever from long-haul arrivals. This must have a considerable negative impact on the LF? Does anyone ahve any info on that?
So, whereas morning flights may have a decent to good LF, the afternoon (and later) flights may have a very poor LF. SN can try to improve connections and hence LF in the morning peak, but I guess the average LF will never be quite high?
I would think that the only way of solving this is to schedule long-haul arrivals and departures in the (early) afternoon to early evening? Another hub wave so to say. Are there any possibilities to do that?
What are your thoughts on this?
PS: There is a separate topic reporting the passenger numbers and LF for each month. I haven't seen this addressed yet, but if appropriate the moderator might join this posting into the existing topic.
SN's LF throughout the day
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chrisflyer
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Re: SN's LF throughout the day
Hi A330,
This is an interesting question and, although I don't know the exact numbers of SN, it is a common problem for all European carriers who operate a hub-and-spoke model with arrival and departure banks.
The fact of the matter is that European carriers that have a long-haul network, will schedule intercontinental flights in such a way as to 1) optimise aircraft utilisation and 2) maximise connectivity, both intercontinental-Europe v.v. and intercontinental-intercontinental, i.e. mainly NAm-Africa v.v., NAm-Middle East v.v., and NAm-Subcontinent v.v. As a result, the vast majority of long-haul arrivals to and departures from Europe is in the morning hours.
To somewhat mitigate the imbalance, carriers will typically:
- schedule more flights in the morning hours and less in the afternoon/evening;
- try to operate larger equipment on short-haul feeders in the morning, using that equipment for medium-haul in the afternoon;
- price afternoon and evening flights differently so as to incentivise intra-European O&D traffic to use these flights;
- price longer connections more attractively, e.g. even if you arrive on an early-morning intercontinental flight, you are compelled to fly out on an afternoon short-haul connection.
Again, all this is theory and I don't have the numbers for SN specifically, but hope the comments are somewhat helpful.
Best,
Chris
This is an interesting question and, although I don't know the exact numbers of SN, it is a common problem for all European carriers who operate a hub-and-spoke model with arrival and departure banks.
The fact of the matter is that European carriers that have a long-haul network, will schedule intercontinental flights in such a way as to 1) optimise aircraft utilisation and 2) maximise connectivity, both intercontinental-Europe v.v. and intercontinental-intercontinental, i.e. mainly NAm-Africa v.v., NAm-Middle East v.v., and NAm-Subcontinent v.v. As a result, the vast majority of long-haul arrivals to and departures from Europe is in the morning hours.
To somewhat mitigate the imbalance, carriers will typically:
- schedule more flights in the morning hours and less in the afternoon/evening;
- try to operate larger equipment on short-haul feeders in the morning, using that equipment for medium-haul in the afternoon;
- price afternoon and evening flights differently so as to incentivise intra-European O&D traffic to use these flights;
- price longer connections more attractively, e.g. even if you arrive on an early-morning intercontinental flight, you are compelled to fly out on an afternoon short-haul connection.
Again, all this is theory and I don't have the numbers for SN specifically, but hope the comments are somewhat helpful.
Best,
Chris
Re: SN's LF throughout the day
Thanks chrisflyer.
I had not looked at it in terms of aircraft utilisation, intercontinental connectivity, and pricing. Interesting! I was stuck with planning hub waves
Looking at connectivity, they could have a late night departure in the USA (e.g. from JFK), arriving late morning in BRU. Same for a flight from SFO. Such a schedule would feed short-haul flights departing after noon.
The flights to Africa might leave later (as they do now already around 14:00), but the return from Africa will always leave late night, arriving early morning in BRU.
Flights to Asia could leave in late afternoon and evening, but I don't know what time they would return. If it's a 10 hour flight, these could return in late afternoon, no? I should have a look at these schedules at other airlines like LH, KL or BA.
Considering fleet utilisation, you could use the A319's in the morning and evening for the main destinations, and use smaller aircraft like the Q400 in the middle of the day. Those Q400's could be used on thinner routes in morning and evening, where no midday flight is scheduled. But you're stuck with the A319's during that time. I guess the LF is not decisive here, but the bottom line economics of these operations.
I totally forgot about pricing, indeed a way of stimulating or promoting certain flights. An important part of an airline's commercial strategy, isn't it.
I had not looked at it in terms of aircraft utilisation, intercontinental connectivity, and pricing. Interesting! I was stuck with planning hub waves
Looking at connectivity, they could have a late night departure in the USA (e.g. from JFK), arriving late morning in BRU. Same for a flight from SFO. Such a schedule would feed short-haul flights departing after noon.
The flights to Africa might leave later (as they do now already around 14:00), but the return from Africa will always leave late night, arriving early morning in BRU.
Flights to Asia could leave in late afternoon and evening, but I don't know what time they would return. If it's a 10 hour flight, these could return in late afternoon, no? I should have a look at these schedules at other airlines like LH, KL or BA.
I was thinking of long-haul, not medium-haul. But this is also an interesting point. Unfortunately SN don't have much medium-haul. Depending on the definition, I guess only DME and TLV qualify, and these leave early morning or in the evening. They might think of Algiers, Cairo or Beyrut. But whether these routes are viable is something else.chrisflyer wrote: try to operate larger equipment on short-haul feeders in the morning, using that equipment for medium-haul in the afternoon;
Considering fleet utilisation, you could use the A319's in the morning and evening for the main destinations, and use smaller aircraft like the Q400 in the middle of the day. Those Q400's could be used on thinner routes in morning and evening, where no midday flight is scheduled. But you're stuck with the A319's during that time. I guess the LF is not decisive here, but the bottom line economics of these operations.
I totally forgot about pricing, indeed a way of stimulating or promoting certain flights. An important part of an airline's commercial strategy, isn't it.