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Delta Goes Big, Then Goes Home

flightradar24.com

11–20 of 204 posts

Re: Delta Goes Big, Then Goes Home

#11

Wow, this is really incredible. The flight path out of Puerto Rico is nearly perfectly optimal to avoid the weather. I wonder, is this a good (and incredibly positive) example of what quality real-time/near-real-time data can do for decision-making? Bravo.

I wouldn't glorify the analytics too much in this case. I'm confident that the management and the pilots made decisions that far exceeded decisions that could be made with data approximations.

Re: Delta Goes Big, Then Goes Home

#12
Does anybody who works in the industry have any idea of what the risk management is like for these types of events?

What are the odds something could go wrong compared to the relative good of squeezing in one last flight's revenue for a while? Is flying in a hurricane actually not that bad and the airport turnaround/takeoff the most dangerous part?

Re: Delta Goes Big, Then Goes Home

#13

Wow, this is really incredible. The flight path out of Puerto Rico is nearly perfectly optimal to avoid the weather. I wonder, is this a good (and incredibly positive) example of what quality real-time/near-real-time data can do for decision-making? Bravo.

> I wonder, is this a good (and incredibly positive) example of what quality real-time/near-real-time data can do for decision-making?

Yes. Obviously.

Re: Delta Goes Big, Then Goes Home

#14
post #11

Wow, this is really incredible. The flight path out of Puerto Rico is nearly perfectly optimal to avoid the weather. I wonder, is this a good (and incredibly positive) example of what quality real-time/near-real-time data can do for decision-making? Bravo.

I wouldn't glorify the analytics too much in this case. I'm confident that the management and the pilots made decisions that far exceeded decisions that could be made with data approximations.

Based on what?

Re: Delta Goes Big, Then Goes Home

#15

Does anybody who works in the industry have any idea of what the risk management is like for these types of events? What are the odds something could go wrong compared to the relative good of squeezing in one last flight's revenue for a while? Is flying in a hurricane actually not that bad and the airport turnaround/takeoff the most dangerous part?

The blog indicated that it was an evacuation flight. It may have been non-revenue.

Re: Delta Goes Big, Then Goes Home

#16

Does anybody who works in the industry have any idea of what the risk management is like for these types of events? What are the odds something could go wrong compared to the relative good of squeezing in one last flight's revenue for a while? Is flying in a hurricane actually not that bad and the airport turnaround/takeoff the most dangerous part?

Flying through a hurricane sounds dangerous, but it's actually not much different than flying normally and is perfectly safe. Planes are very resistant to horizontal wind, which is all a hurricane is.

Re: Delta Goes Big, Then Goes Home

#17

Does anybody who works in the industry have any idea of what the risk management is like for these types of events? What are the odds something could go wrong compared to the relative good of squeezing in one last flight's revenue for a while? Is flying in a hurricane actually not that bad and the airport turnaround/takeoff the most dangerous part?

Does ethics play a decision here too? As in "let's try our best to get these people out of here". Or is the risk actually the opposite, and it would be safer for them to stay in Puerto Rico?

Re: Delta Goes Big, Then Goes Home

#18

Does anybody who works in the industry have any idea of what the risk management is like for these types of events? What are the odds something could go wrong compared to the relative good of squeezing in one last flight's revenue for a while? Is flying in a hurricane actually not that bad and the airport turnaround/takeoff the most dangerous part?

I'm usually cynical in these situations, but I don't think it was about revenue. Quick decision making by even the most incompetent executive would have prompted the following response:

"Let's see... 50% chance of incremental $200*150=$30K (idk the price nor the capacity, so just entertain me) in revenue. Let's bump that with the expected loss/lawsuits if this fails = ... Who cares? It's in the millions. Just don't do it."

I think this is one of those cases where the airline took it upon themselves to really try to help as many people get out as they could.

Re: Delta Goes Big, Then Goes Home

#19
post #7

The best part is that the hurricane's tailwind shaved 40-odd minutes off the itinerary.

To me the hurricane tailwind (blowing South) appeared to be against the direction of flight (heading North)... but the flight arrived early so I must not be parsing that right.

Re: Delta Goes Big, Then Goes Home

#20
post #4

Other than a very bumpy ride and lots of nerves, I would think a 737 (and many other commercial jets) would have no problem flying through a hurricane. Landing on the other hand... Anyone with knowledge of this?

Guess how we know you're not a pilot...
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