Frequency & Capacity

Overview

Frequency and capacity are determined by the aircraft assigned to a route. These two factors are critical for balancing demand, profitability, and passenger satisfaction.

Frequency

Frequency is the number of flights operated on a route within each cycle.

Higher frequency:

Improves convenience
Attracts business passengers
Increases scheduling flexibility
Improves route competitiveness

Lower frequency:

Reduces operating costs
May reduce demand
Limits passenger options

Capacity

Capacity is the total number of seats available on a route.

Capacity depends on:

Aircraft size
Aircraft configuration
Number of assigned aircraft
Frequency

Capacity Per Flight

Large aircraft:

Higher seats per flight
Lower frequency
Suitable for long-haul routes

Small aircraft:

Lower seats per flight
Higher frequency
Suitable for regional routes

Cabin Class Capacity

Each aircraft contributes seats based on its configuration:

Economy seats
Business seats
First seats

If no aircraft have premium cabins, those classes will have zero capacity.

Balancing Frequency vs Capacity

High frequency, small aircraft:

Better for business routes
Improves satisfaction
Higher operating complexity

Low frequency, large aircraft:

Better for leisure routes
Lower operating cost
Risk of high load factor penalties

Strategy Tips

Increase frequency on competitive routes
Use larger aircraft for long-haul demand
Avoid excessive capacity that reduces load factor
Balance seat mix for passenger types

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