14 replies to this topic

[MightyBobtheBuilder]

I was just wondering how you could operate an extremely long route profitably by fiddling with prices and seat configurations. I once saw an airline operate HNL - JNB (11,918 miles) in some sort of special 777-200LR configuration, and they seemed to be profitable and to have a full load factor based on the market information and market share percentages. How is this possible, and in general, what are some tricks to stretch a plane's range on AE?

[Jezza.]

Put smaller engines and more fuel on them.

[berubium]

If your seating capacity is less than the full capacity, you can get some extra range beyond with the Adjusted Range of an aircraft displays.  It will be somewhere between the Adjusted Range & Max Range depending on how many seats you assign to the plane.

 

For example, I am flying 757-200s on one of my airlines.  It shows a max range of 4789 mi, which is its max range at its densest configuration, which in this case would be 239Y.  My seating configs are 24C 156Y which means that when my plane is full, the weight inside is far less than it would be if I had a 239Y full plane, hence giving me more range.  The absolute max range (i.e. 0 pax) is shown in brackets when you look at a plane's stats & in this case it's 5634 mi.  With my config of 24C 156Y, I am able to get exactly 4995 mi without any penalty, which is over 200 mi more than the advertised max range.

 

You can also fly a bit further than your full capacity range at the expense of not being to completely fill up your plane.  Sometimes it's worth it to stretch it out a bit to get that prized route, but only be able to fill 85% of your seats.  However, I have flown routes where I've been a bit beyond the range & still had 100% pax.  For example, flying 5077 mi on a 757-200 from my previous example says that my max capacity would be 157 pax, which is 23 less than my full capacity.  Sometimes you can fly that route & still get a 100% loadfactor, so there seems to be a bit of leeway, but it's typically no more than 100 miles more than your config's max range.

[MightyBobtheBuilder]

Thanks for the advice, but does anyone know how that airline made the HNL - JNB route work out financially? I am interested in operating a route from MFM - SCL on one of my airlines, and I want to know if this is possible in terms of profit.

[MightyBobtheBuilder]

Okay I think I got it - I operate my ULR 777-200LRs in a configuration of 42F, 113C, and 114Y, and that all works out financially with connections. I'm able to make a profit of $41,036/day on the MFM - SCL route, using a 1x weekly 777-200LR frequency. Fine profits for such a long route.

[MightyBobtheBuilder]

. 

[MightyBobtheBuilder]

I was also able to make MFM - ASU work profitably, though the turnover was abysmal.

[DeltaA350]

Okay I think I got it - I operate my ULR 777-200LRs in a configuration of 42F, 113C, and 114Y, and that all works out financially with connections. I'm able to make a profit of $41,036/day on the MFM - SCL route, using a 1x weekly 777-200LR frequency. Fine profits for such a long route.

113 Business Class seats?

[MightyBobtheBuilder]

Anyone know if it is even possible to operate MFM - VVI (or any other Bolivian airport) profitably? I reduced losses to $34,254 / day.

[MightyBobtheBuilder]

113 Business Class seats?

 

Yeah because then you balance out the loadfactors and the connections kick in. Also, it greatly reduces overall seats, allowing for profit to be maintained over longer distances where standard weight is restricted.

[MightyBobtheBuilder]

The rest of South America is generally profitable - its only Bolivia.

[MightyBobtheBuilder]

The rest of South America is generally profitable - its only Bolivia.

 

Out of Macau, that is.

[Randallator]

If your seating capacity is less than the full capacity, you can get some extra range beyond with the Adjusted Range of an aircraft displays.  It will be somewhere between the Adjusted Range & Max Range depending on how many seats you assign to the plane.
 
For example, I am flying 757-200s on one of my airlines.  It shows a max range of 4789 mi, which is its max range at its densest configuration, which in this case would be 239Y.  My seating configs are 24C 156Y which means that when my plane is full, the weight inside is far less than it would be if I had a 239Y full plane, hence giving me more range.  The absolute max range (i.e. 0 pax) is shown in brackets when you look at a plane's stats & in this case it's 5634 mi.  With my config of 24C 156Y, I am able to get exactly 4995 mi without any penalty, which is over 200 mi more than the advertised max range.
 
You can also fly a bit further than your full capacity range at the expense of not being to completely fill up your plane.  Sometimes it's worth it to stretch it out a bit to get that prized route, but only be able to fill 85% of your seats.  However, I have flown routes where I've been a bit beyond the range & still had 100% pax.  For example, flying 5077 mi on a 757-200 from my previous example says that my max capacity would be 157 pax, which is 23 less than my full capacity.  Sometimes you can fly that route & still get a 100% loadfactor, so there seems to be a bit of leeway, but it's typically no more than 100 miles more than your config's max range.

Almost true, from what I've noticed before the pax limit only applies to Y, unless its a case of same max pax for all classes eg. 15C/200Y in a B752 and the limit due to distance is 200 then all seats will be full provided you are the lowest price on the route/have enough pax connecting to fill the plane

[berubium]

Almost true, from what I've noticed before the pax limit only applies to Y, unless its a case of same max pax for all classes eg. 15C/200Y in a B752 and the limit due to distance is 200 then all seats will be full provided you are the lowest price on the route/have enough pax connecting to fill the plane

Hmmm, that could be.  I'll have to test that out with one of my airlines.  If that's the case, it's definitely a glitch; not a major one mind you, but very exploitable if you seek to just have F & C seats.

[MightyBobtheBuilder]

Ive tested it; it blocks every class over the limit, but if the limit is 6, it will block 6 each class, not 6 total, and you can get around this by lowering C class prices to get Y at 100% l/f and lowering other prices too.