I read somewhere here (though now I cannot find the page again) that it DOES NOT matter whether you depart at 9.00 am or 2.00 am for a flight, if there is demand, passengers will book the flight regardlss of the departure/arrval time.
Does this hold correct?
Does it mean I really do not have to worry whether my plane leaves at 2.00 am or arrives at 3.45 am? Thank you.
Hi,
it does indeed not matter at all. Every airport checks passenger demand once per day, and sends out its passengers. And our virtual passengers don't mind flying at night.
What can matter, is the time at which an airport checks its passenger demand. Allow me to explain...
As flights are entered into the ORS system three days ahead, every flight can book passengers three times. But that is the theory. Flights are entered into the ORS system every half an hour. That means a flight that takes off at 00:50hrs from an airport that calculates it's demand at 01:10hrs will not get any bookings the first day on the Tempelhof server. On this server, flights are entered into the system at 16 minutes and 46 minutes past the hour. As a result, that airport will calculate its demand while the flight is not yet in the system. And according to my personal experience, the "black spot" is even bigger. I have flights that take off one hour before an airport calculates its demand that don't get any bookings the first day. And I am talking about routes with a dozen daily flights, that are all fully booked three days ahead of the flight... all, except the flights that leave less than two hours before the airport checks its demand.
Jan
Wait, so flights in the "black spot" can't really get demand much at all? Is that what you're saying?
Is this "black spot" only the first day after you create a schedule, or every day for those flights in the "black spot" area, e.g. all and every flight from that paricular airport that leaves at 00.50?
How can i find out at what time does the airport calculate demand?
Is this "black spot" only the first day after you create a schedule, or every day for those flights in the "black spot" area, e.g. all and every flight from that paricular airport that leaves at 00.50?
It affects only the first day of a newly created schedule.
How can i find out at what time does the airport calculate demand?
You can find that information at the airport info page. In the left colum, titled "Information" you will find the "Demand calculation" (third from the top).