Quote:
Originally Posted by daepp
No I get that they don't want to waste fuel, but if they can get their faster than the next guy, or can get an extra flight per day from the aircraft, wouldn't they be saving $$?
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Several variables here, in my experience. It's hard to make up that much time--enough to utilize the airplane again in a day. It really does boil down to cost. Whatever the cost advantage is usually controls the decision. If adding fuel (more weight/more cost) results in more pad for ATC or weather delays (flow control) then that is an acceptable cost. Getting ahead of other aircraft can be done but ATC, in my experience, is usually hip to that and will slow you down so as to keep the flow into the destination steady and manageable. If the destination is a low traffic airport then they might let you go fast. Bottom line is cost. COST, COST, COST. If the final cost outcome, the best one, means add fuel and fly faster then that's what we'll do. If it means fly normally even though you're late then you fly slowly. "Slowly" being an average Econ mode in the FMC. They crunch the cost and then decide which method is most advantageous overall and pass it along to the captain. He can still fly a little faster if he wants to, 'captain's authority' to some extent, but he might have to defend that later on.
Cost control explains much of our daily lives. In the airline business it explains absolutely everything down to the last cent. Distill a situation long enough and cost control is the final result.