The author makes an interesting claim; Speedee Airlines, with its on-time rate of 89%, is now the number one on-time airline in the United States. However, the claim relies on weak logic. Airline on-time performance must be measured on a specific flight that arrives at a specific destination at a specific time. Speedee Airlines’ on-time performance must be measured on flights between LAX and JFK – a flight that, at 1,000 miles, is one of the longest in the United States. For an airline to achieve the number one on-time rate, it must have flights scheduled to arrive at every destination on or before the scheduled arrival time. If Speedee Airlines took its flights between Los Angeles and New York and scheduled them to arrive as late as possible, it could achieve the number one on-time rate, but only for flights that arrived late. However, if Speedee Airlines scheduled its flights to arrive as early as possible, it could achieve the number one on-time rate, but only for flights that arrived early. For an airline to achieve the number one on-time rate, it must schedule flights to arrive on or as close as possible to their scheduled departure times

The author also assumes that Speedee Airlines is efficient in its operations. If airline efficiency is measured by the number of passengers that the airline can carry on each flight, then Speedee Airlines is very efficient. However, that does not necessarily mean that the airline is efficient in its management. An airline may have an efficient operation, but if it mismanages its human resources and pays its employees poorly, the airline will fall behind its peers in terms of on-time performance. Speedee Airlines may have the most-efficient operation, but if its pilots and flight attendants are not paid enough to arrive on time, the airline will fall behind its competitors

The author also assumes that Speedee Airlines’ on-time performance is a result of superior management. However, the airline’s on-time performance may also be the result of favorable weather conditions and heavy traffic. Nobody likes bad weather, and many people avoid travelling in bad weather. When the weather is bad, people cancel their flights. When the weather is good, more people fly. In addition, many people avoid flying during holidays, such as Christmas or Thanksgiving, when traffic is heavy. If the weather was good and traffic low, Speedee Airlines’ on-time performance would be higher

The author also assumes that Speedee Airlines provides more flights than any other airline. However, that is not necessarily true. The claim could be based on the number of flights that Speedee Airlines has provided between LAX and JFK. However, the author does not mention how many other airlines offer flights between LAX and JFK. Since airlines compete by offering flights to the same destinations at similar prices, it is possible that Speedee Airlines provides more flights between LAX and JFK than other companies

If Speedee Airlines’ on-time performance is the result of superior management, then other airlines’ on-time performances are also the result of superior management. If the airline industry had adequate competition, then airline performance would be determined by the airline’s management. However, the airline industry in the United States is dominated by only a few major airlines. If American Airlines was struggling, for example, then the same management that transformed Speedee Airlines’ on-time performance could have transformed American Airlines’ on-time performance

Another factor to consider is that on-time performance is only one measure of airline performance. Speedee Airlines’ on-time performance may be excellent, but it could still be making poor decisions. For example, Speedee Airlines may charge its customers higher prices than other airlines. The high prices may discourage some customers from travelling with Speedee Airlines. If Speedee Airlines’ on-time performance is an indication of its management’s competence, then the airline’s poor decisions must also be an indication of its management’s incompetence

Another factor to consider is that Speedee Airlines’ on-time performance may have been the result of luck. Speedee Airlines may have consistently achieved such high on-time performance as a result of favorable weather conditions and heavy traffic on popular routes. If the airline’s luck ran out, then its on-time performance could decline rapidly

If Speedee Airlines’ on-time performance is an indicator of its management’s competence, then the airline’s competitors’ on-time performances are also an indication of their management’s competence. If American Airlines’ on-time performance was as bad as Speedee Airlines’, then American Airlines’ management must have problems. If Northwest Airline’s on-time performance was as good as Speedee Airlines’, then Northwest Airline’s management must have problems

If Speedee Airlines’ on-time performance is an indicator of its management’s competence, then the airline’s competitors’ on-time performances are also an indicator of their management’s competence. If Southwest Airlines’ on-time performance was as good as Speedee Airlines’, then Southwest Airlines’ management must have problems. If JetBlue Airways’ on-time performance was as good as Speedee Airlines’, then JetBlue Airways’ management must have problems

Speedee Airlines’ on-time performance appears to be an indication of the airline’s management’s competence. However, that claim could be the result of luck. Luck also seems to be a factor in the airline industry. Airlines may have excellent on-time performance, yet their passengers may have poor experiences. If an airline’s passengers have unreasonable expectations,