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Every minute counts - Block time analysis is the foundation of any flight plan
The term "On blocks" is part of standard airline vocabulary: It is the moment after landing when the aircraft engines and the "Fasten your seatbelts" signs in the cabin are switched off. "Block times" play a key role for airlines because they have a significant impact on flight operations. Block time is defined as the period between pushing back from the gate before start ("off blocks") and docking at the destination gate ("on blocks"). It is also the flight time published in the flight plan.

Its extensive expertise in Airline Operations Solutions enables Lufthansa Systems to extend block time analysis for Lufthansa to the actual block times of individual route and model combinations (e.g., FRA-JFK with a B747) by using sophisticated statistical methods. As a result, a satisfactory solution can be found even in case of large block time variations, which can arise particularly for intercontinental flights due to seasonal climate fluctuations.

The block time has a considerable influence on punctuality, transfer quality, and the stability of planned aircraft rotations. It is also used for determining capacity requirements, such as the number of aircraft or crews needed. This is why airlines compare current block times with figures from the previous year in order to be able to react to changes in the operational environment when drawing up the next flight plan. Lufthansa is thus able to improve the punctuality and stability of aircraft rotations.

Additional revenue potentials with Revenue Accounting
Finnair has implemented SIRAX to benefit from a streamlined accounting process. What's behind?
One look at a typical flight - from Helsinki to Buenos Aires via Frankfurt, for example - and the complexity involved in billing becomes clear: The passenger buys the ticket from Finnair in Helsinki, and he pays Finnair the full price for his economy class seat. However, the Finnish airline only handles the first leg of the journey, namely from Helsinki to Frankfurt.

Fast and precise revenue accounting is indispensable to an airline's management if the company is going to be guided successfully through this highly competitive market. But due to complex fare structures, code share agreements, and taxes and fees in aviation, revenue accounting has turned into something of a science.

The SIRAX solution from Lufthansa Systems handles all aspects of the billing process in detail. With SIRAX it is possible to considerably reduce the losses that airlines suffer when Interline billing with other airlines is overlooked or when rates are calculated too low due to changes in a passenger's ticket class. The high degree of automation of the software allows airlines to reduce the amount of effort they put into revenue accounting by up to 70%. Finnair therefore can expect to take advantage of an improved quality and control of their accounting processes and from increased productivity due to the higher degree of automation. This results in additional revenue potentials that Finnair can benefit from even in the first year after implementation.