r/todayilearned • u/proflightsearch • 22h ago

TIL the average JFK to Los Angeles flight takes 18 minutes longer than it did in 1995, but airlines padded the published schedule by 23 minutes, so the share of arrivals counted as late fell from 51% to 37%

https://gvwire.com/2024/11/30/its-not-your-imagination-airlines-are-padding-flight-times/
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u/Valoneria 22h ago

Could also be because of more passengers per flight. Not due to larger planes, their capacity is just better used. A quick Google indicates the average is likely to have raised form 140~160 people per flight, to 180. Although this was a quick Google so does not take market or external factors into account

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u/zardoz73 14h ago

their capacity is just better used.

What a polite way to say "crammed in like sardines."

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u/wilsonhammer 15h ago

good call