How Flight Information Improves Airline Delay Management

I recently conducted an interview with the CEO of Flightview, a leading provider of flight data information. Flightview provides flight delay information to a variety of entities, including the Port of Seattle, USA Today, and Hertz Rent-a-Car. Given that last year was one of the worst historically for flight delays, passengers are looking for flight information in more places.

A summary of my interview with Flightview CEO Mike Benjamin follows:

Benjamin believes that one of the most significant trends that has taken place in the past few years has been the ubiquity of flight information. Part of this is due to the explosion in Internet-capable mobile devices that allow business travelers to receive flight information on the go. But airports and airlines have also contributed to this change as well. In many terminals, displays are being redesigned so that travelers have more ready access to flight information, regardless of where they are. Instead of having centralized displays, smaller displays are being dispersed throughout terminals to make flight information more accessible. This allows customers to go to other parts of the terminal during the delay instead of huddling at the gate if they so choose. Unfortunately, airports in the United States are relatively poor facilities compared to many of their international counterparts, such as those in Dubai, Hong Kong, and Singapore. As a result, even if passengers can get away from the gate, they may not be able to make themselves very comfortable. As older terminals are remodeled or demolished, hopefully airport authorities are able to make the investments in comfort that passengers have an increasing need for due to the growth in delays.

Moreover, some airlines are also enhancing their gate-level displays to help customers view more information about flight delays. Especially if the delay is weather-related, customers often sympathize with the airline (since they would much rather be stuck in a terminal than in a dangerous airborne situation). But, that sympathy only exists if customers are truthfully informed of the extent of the weather conditions that are causing the delay. A lack of information is often what makes customers most irate, and by providing this information, airlines are improving their customer service records in at least one area of their operation at a time when they desperately need improvement.

Benjamin argues that in the next few years, flight information (including weather and other related data pertinent to the delay) will become even more widespread. When you go to fill up your rental car at a gas station near the airport, you could see this information. When you're in an airport hotel room, you could see this information. There are myriad possibilities and as flight information becomes more necessary to passengers in order for them to have a satisfactory travel experience, many of these could be developed further. The challenge for companies like Flightview will be to figure out ways of making this information consistent and accurate across mediums.

One of the most important concepts that seems to be lacking in some airlines' flight schedules, as well as the expectations of the traveling public, is the notion that weather events are likely to repeat themselves at certain airports, increasing their chances of delaying specific flights. For instance in Dallas, thunderstorms are a frequent occurrence during summer afternoons, and in Boston it's often windy conditions that can prevent one runway from being used, both of which increase the chances that specific flights will be delayed for specific reasons. According to Benjamin, airlines and airports need to remember "what's the capacity of an airport given certain conditions". By targeting these specific factors that cause delays, airlines and airports can hopefully work together to find ways to avoid them in the future by not scheduling many flights during delay-prone hours of the day. However, these delay-generating conditions may matter less to airlines and airports in the future, as the FAA develops its satellite-based ATC system which will make airlines less weather-dependent. But at least in the interim, passengers, especially those that travel certain routes often (typically high-yield travelers), need to understand this information in order for them to make better travel decisions that will help them be more satisfied customers.

For travelers, Benjamin says that delay evasion typically means not taking the last flight out and not booking tight connections. Checking the flight punctuality data when you book your flight will also help you avoid routinely delayed flights. Moreover, passengers are already starting to use alternate airports, not only because they often offer cheaper flights, but because their relative lack of congestion means they are more reliable. As passengers start making punctuality more of a priority when they book a flight, airlines could add flights to less congested airports or add flights to congested facilities during parts of the day that see less congestion. Stay tuned, because the delivery of flight information and the pressure on airlines to reduce delays will be topics, that while seemingly unimportant, will become more critical in passengers' travel experiences in the near future.