Cost of delays in Europe 2010

Eurocontrol is publishing delay statistics of airports participating in the ECAC (European Civil Aviation Conference). In their recent report they provide an overview of the delay situation in 2010. This report was used by a number of news agencies (in German only, apologies) to list the worst airports in 2010.

I used the report to assess the total delay cost of ECAC in 2010. According to the information I retrieved from the report, adding a few assumptions on the average size of aircraft and seat load factor, I came up with impressive figures about departure delay cost:

In 2010 there were more than 7 billion Euros opportunity cost to passengers, more than 2 billion Euros operating cost to airlines and more than 400 million Euros operating cost to airports.

And I did not even include the cost of cancellations which were estimated at more than 100,000 flights at the April peak of the volcanic ashes crisis.

Change happens in nanoseconds

This morning I was sitting in the train from Zurich to Frankfurt listening to Tom Peters’ audiobook "The Pursuit of Wow". After a while he talked about change and that change would only take nanoseconds, but to maintain it would take years.

It took me also a while (fortunately the trip from Zurich to Frankfurt by train is long), but then I thought he was right. A decision to change happens immediately. After that, it is developing the correct habits and putting them into play.

Disney uses a command center to shorten lines at rides

Does this problem and approach somehow sound familiar?

According to an article in the New York Times, Disney has spent the last year outfitting the Disney Operational Command Center to address that most low-tech of problems, the wait. Located under Cinderella Castle, the new nerve center uses video cameras, computer programs, digital park maps and other high-tech tools to spot gridlock before it forms and deploy countermeasures.

In recent years, according to Disney research, the average Magic Kingdom visitor has had time for only 9 rides — out of more than 40 — because of lengthy waits and crowded walkways and restaurants. In the last few months, however, the operations center has managed to make enough nips and tucks to lift that average to 10.

So this April, when we (my family) are spending some of our holidays in Disney World I will not only look out for improvements but also ask whether I can visit their nerve center. Actually, I am going to ask right now.