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Airline Mogul => General Chat => Topic started by: Lux Carriers on September 06, 2008, 01:34:42 pm
Title: Question about calculating load factor.
Post by: Lux Carriers on September 06, 2008, 01:34:42 pm
How is it calculated like the formula? How come you can be the lowest price of anyone but using the biggest plane and still loadfactor could be very low. :-\ I know I pick the lowet price when flying ;D
Title: Re: Question about calculating load factor.
Post by: pseudoswede on September 06, 2008, 01:54:29 pm
Because the fare has to match the demand for the route as well as the number of seats available.
By adding the biggest plane to the route, you are, in a sense, flooding the market with seats. Because there are so many seats available now, you have to lower your fares to attract customers to reach 100% LF.
Real world example: A bunch of airlines run LAX-SFO mostly with 737s/A319s. They can all charge a low, but decent fare and still make a small profit. What if a brand new start-up comes in and adds five 747s to that route, running 24 hours a day? That new airline can't charge that "decent fare" because they've added so many seats to the route--well, they could, but their planes would basically fly empty. If they want to attract enough customers to fill every seat on all flights, they will have to charge a much, much lower fare. In turn, all other airlines on that route will have to lower their fares in order to stay competitive.
Title: Re: Question about calculating load factor.
Post by: Lux Carriers on September 06, 2008, 02:19:23 pm
I don't mean like huge planes but like running a 737 on a routes where most planes are twenty to fifty seaters like this atlanta to o hare route. Airline Aircraft Frequency Fare Air Saint-Pierre ?AdM? McDonnell Douglas MD-81 1 €615 Middle Georgia Transport Boeing 737-500 1 €830 Midwest Air View ATR 72-210 1 €1,000 Air Canada BAe Jetstream J61 1 €810 Air Canada BAe Jetstream J61 1 €1,149 Freedom Airlines ATR 72-200 1 €1,145 SUNWING Airlines ATR 72-200 1 €1,149 United Airlines Avro RJ70 1 €1,150 Cornwall Park Scenic Airlines Bombardier CRJ-100LR 1 €1,270 Triton Air ATR 72-200 1 €1,170 AJC Travel Inc. BAe Jetstream J61 1 €1,300 Gitall Antonov An-38-100 1 €1,200 Unofficial brokerage CASA C212C 1 €1,500 pilli air Shorts 360-200 1 €1,525 Barfarts National Air Antonov An-38-100 1 €1,600 USAir Shorts 360-100 1 €1,600 Domestic Air Antonov An-38-100 1 €1,750 Ryan Air VardaxServ-Aero Hotter 1 €2,000
I run a 188 seat 737 on it but to get 100% loadfactor I have to charge 410. The lowest fare is 615 so say I charged 575 why wouldnt I get 100 % loadfactor? The routes above is atleast 188 seats added up. I dont think anyone would . pay 2000 for a flight in the REAL world when they can take a faster plane and pay only 575
Title: Re: Question about calculating load factor.
Post by: Tiger In Training on September 06, 2008, 03:07:45 pm
Basically, the more seats you have, the less you can charge but the more you do make- to a certain point. Regardless of the total seats per route all prices will be different to get 100%, even if there are 2 of the same planes, one may charge more and still get a full plane.
The reason that the most expensive may get % is because the cheap ones (seats on big a/c) have all sold out so you have no choice to pay more or else you would have to walk (and or swim). As there are less seats available people are willing to pay more. As more seats are added, the price people will pay goes down- because there are more cheap seats.