Airline Schedule Padding and Consumer Choice Behavior
Faculty Mentor Name
Jules Yimga
Format Preference
Poster
Abstract
Airlines are known to allow for buffer time to account for contingencies—a practice known as schedule/time padding. Schedule padding in the U.S. airline industry has generated public interest as frequent travelers oftentimes notice that nonstop flights offered by different airlines between the same airports show different durations in the computer reservation systems (CRS). One reason (among others) that has been widely documented is that ‘padding’ a scheduled flight time is a way for airlines to artificially improve their on-time performance, especially now that flight on-time performance has become a source of competitive advantage as passengers' expectations concerning on-time flights have increased in recent years. This study has a dual objective. First, the study will investigate the leading factors (including route and carrier characteristics) that drive buffer time differences across flights. Second and more importantly, the study will examine the implications and costs of schedule padding to consumers.
Poster Presentation
IGNITE Grant Award
Location
AC1-Atrium, Eagle Gym
Start Date
3-23-2018 11:00 AM
End Date
3-23-2018 9:00 PM
Airline Schedule Padding and Consumer Choice Behavior
AC1-Atrium, Eagle Gym
Airlines are known to allow for buffer time to account for contingencies—a practice known as schedule/time padding. Schedule padding in the U.S. airline industry has generated public interest as frequent travelers oftentimes notice that nonstop flights offered by different airlines between the same airports show different durations in the computer reservation systems (CRS). One reason (among others) that has been widely documented is that ‘padding’ a scheduled flight time is a way for airlines to artificially improve their on-time performance, especially now that flight on-time performance has become a source of competitive advantage as passengers' expectations concerning on-time flights have increased in recent years. This study has a dual objective. First, the study will investigate the leading factors (including route and carrier characteristics) that drive buffer time differences across flights. Second and more importantly, the study will examine the implications and costs of schedule padding to consumers.
Poster Presentation
IGNITE Grant Award