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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!vortex!lauren
From: lauren@vortex.UUCP (Lauren Weinstein)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: airline schedules
Message-ID: <130@vortex.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 3-Sep-83 21:19:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: vortex.130
Posted: Sat Sep  3 21:19:16 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 4-Sep-83 13:56:01 EDT
Organization: Vortex Technology, Los Angeles
Lines: 27

Unfortunately, airlines, by their very nature, are quite vulnerable
to schedule disruptions that ripple in a "domino effect" throughout
the entire structure of the system.

In the U.S., since the controllers' strike, air traffic "flow control"
adjustments have resulted in numerous "short" delays (5 minutes to an
hour or so) in departures in an attempt to avoid forcing aircraft into
holding patterns at the destination end.  It is feared that complex holding
patterns are one area where the "new" controllers may not be
terribly proficient yet.  Remember that many flights are actually
continuations of other flights through your departure city, and that
even minor problems can result in a plane not being available at its
next node on time.  When it does show up, the original gate isn't usually
available anymore, so they have to reschedule for a new one... and the
results ripple down the line.  Frankly, given the complexity of the airline
systems, I'm amazed that they run as smoothly as they do (particularly with
all that antique computer equipment on which the reservation/scheduling
systems are based).  Of course, I'm as upset as anyone else when *my*
flight gets delayed for any reason...

--Lauren--

P.S.  LAX's international terminal facilities are in the midst of a MASSIVE
      upgrade, for obvious reasons.  The whole airport is actually shaping
      up quite nicely.

--LW--