SkyHarborsHome From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 273 posts, RR: 2 Posted (6 years 7 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 2084 times:
Often, I notice that HP/US will have the words "Focus Flight" listed on their outside status boards for the ground crew at PHX. This prompts a few questions:
1) Do all airlines have focus flights (pretty sure I know the answer but wanna make sure)?
2) What determines this status?
3) Does this status mean that the crew handles the flight differently?
4) What are some examples of focus flights for other airlines?
Flyboyaz From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (6 years 7 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 2008 times:
I think the focus flights are what we used to call "star" flights...meaning they are the first flight out and need to leave on time, as they will affect the operation for the rest of the day.
I know CO has them...they call them "head start" flights.
SkyHarborsHome From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 273 posts, RR: 2 Reply 2, posted (6 years 7 months 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 1853 times:
That makes sense. Also explains why I see so many being the hub is here. Guess I was hoping something more extravagant like a time-study or high profit route. Oh well, I can live with this explanation. Thanks flyboy.
TropicBird From United States of America, joined May 2005, 502 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (6 years 7 months 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 1791 times:
STAR flights are the first ones of the day from a station. FOCUS flights do not necessarily mean the first flights but those that need extra attention because of important connections or they are regularly delayed etc.
FutureFO From New Caledonia, joined Oct 2001, 3096 posts, RR: 23 Reply 5, posted (6 years 7 months 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 1750 times:
Every airline has identifiers. Generally tho Ficus flights are the ones that have a majority of delays and need the most attention. Just like OH flights in and out of JFK.
HPLASOps From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 6, posted (6 years 7 months 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 1703 times:
To add to that, we mark FOCUS the flights that turn quick twice in a row - they are the flights that we really want to get on time (at least, put extra emphasis on getting them on time). FOCUS flights will also usually feature lots of connections (our LAX and SFO FOCUS flights will usually have a lot of outbound int'l conxs).
Bridogger6 From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 710 posts, RR: 11 Reply 7, posted (6 years 7 months 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 1619 times:
I am hearing a number of different responses but the most correct is by HPlas... a FOCUS flight is one where the aircraft has limited time on the ground in the city for which it is headed. It's important to get the flight out on time because it has a schedule of minimum ground time in it's destination city before turning around back for the hub.
Flyboy7974 From United States of America, joined Jan 2003, 1540 posts, RR: 2 Reply 8, posted (6 years 7 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 1551 times:
Agree with Bridogger6 mostly cuz just asked this a couple of months ago and this was just talked about on flyertalk. Told over there more about this when I asked.
As I was boarding my Reno flight, I noticed on the flight display it showed "FOCUS FLIGHT." Finally I remembered to ask about this once I saw it, and it was explained that 2 cases, first case and most often, if an a/c departing the hub has less than alloted time on the ground at the outstation, it's deemed a "FOCUS FLIGHT" to bring awareness to crew, ground personnel and csa to the importance of doing all you can to help the flight get out on time. My flight to Reno was to arrive at 902 am and the return flight back to PHX was scheduled out at 935am, thus only a 33minute turn and lower than the 35 mintues that HP tried to standardize through the system. It helps identify that the next flight from the outstation back to the hub is pushing it, so as a hint it helps let everybody know. I think I mentioned that the a/c next to our gate was PDX bound and it didn't state that on threir info display and it was because the a/c was to arrive PDX at 1022am and depart again at 1115, meeting the mnimum 35 groundtime for HP.
Second case, and parallels just a lil bit but not exactly If a late flight out of hub such as PHX departs and the crew has a minimal rest night and early flihgt the next mornng, then FOCUS FLIGHT is used again for mostly the same reason, an on-time flght, but mainly to get crew out of the hub and enroute and thus eliminating or preventing that from the outstatoin, that the next morning the a/c will have to be delyayed for mandatory crew rest.
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