Dear Airline Managers, sooner or later, you will need to face it !

The laws of Physics are undisputed. No matter how much we hate the limits imposed by them, all we can do is to understand, respect and deal with them.

We would all be delighted to see airlines ordering more airplanes, flying more to the most attractive destinations and bringing more passengers onboard, by offering lower ticket prices !

Inevitably, however, we have long since come up against the Laws of Physics, which insist on reminding us that airspace and airport infrastructure simply cannot accommodate our dreamed-of infinite growth rate, as they are finite spaces.

As we all know, for decades, passengers were taught that, efficient airlines and airports are those, managing to close door on time!

It is a culture, indeed. But we have been the ones to disseminate it !

And what will we do now, that we know we are rushing to get passengers onboard and pushback, but they will not arrive to their destination any earlier ?

We are just wasting fuel and damaging the environment, with flights stuck to large takeoff cues and predictable airspace holdings?

And even worse ! When, despite all efforts, due to Laws of Physics, airlines fail to board passengers, as scheduled, they sue airlines in court, as they were not given what as promised !

ICAO has understood that since 2012 in its Document 9971 (Collaborative Air Traffic Flow Management), which has been adopted in Europe and USA, with flights being held on the ground, to balance demand vs capacity – that′s what GDP (Ground Delay Program) is.

Sooner or later, we like it or not, we will need to surrender to the Laws of Physics and take responsibility for reeducating the market.

Either ticket prices will rise, to limit demand to airspace/airport physical capacity, or someone will take the responsibility to lead market reeducation.

Airlines may have as many flight as passengers wish and can pay for. But Laws of Physics say on-time performance will be as good as it can be, specially at peak times ! Predictability is the best we can target !

Let′s not keep offering what Laws of Physics will not allow us to deliver !