Statistics Turn Data Into Information

Southwest Airlines, along with other commercial airlines, collect data on their performance and using statistics convert the raw data into useful information. One example of data collected by Southwest is the on time arrivals. The on time arrival category is then further broken down to the time the plane departs the gate, takes off, lands, and arrives at the gate. This additional data can help Southwest determine where time was lost resulting in a flight not arriving on time. In addition, Southwest tracks the number of complaints and compliments each month. This information is converted into a ratio and then compared to its competitors. The video also mentioned Southwest tracks the number of bags lost per 1,000. The data is collected, maintained and published by the Department of Transportation about airlines. The air travel consumer report is published monthly at www.dot.gov. Southwest records and reports the following information:
· Who- Which flights
· What- Flight delays, consumer complaints, mishandled baggage, overbooking
· Why- Extreme weather, security delays, or internal process problems
· When- Date each event occur
· Where- What airport was involved The Bureau of Transportation Statistics turns the raw data into meaningful information with the use of statistics. The statistics are used to provide useful information in the industry. This information is then presented in various forms such as pie charts, tables, and other graphs. One example given in the video was a pie chart illustrating the percentage of delays contributed to various causes. Statistics are used to provide useful information about the airline industry to both the consumer and the airline industry. Decisions can then be based on this information. A table displaying the percentage of air carrier delays within the carrier’s control could be used as a benchmark to compare one carrier’s performance to that of its