IROPs as a contraction of the term IRegular OPerations, refer to unusual, unexpected, or extenuating circumstances in which a scheduled flight does not operate. There isn’t a particular single reason but unexpected maintenance, weather conditions, volcanic activity, and the current but changing COVID-19 travel restrictions are all causes.
IROPs does not necessarily refer to cancellations but can also include delays, diversions and re-routed flights. Given that aircraft turnaround, times are often measured in minutes rather than hours, it is not uncommon for a cascade of delays and cancellations to onward impact other flights in the network due to aircraft and flight crews being stuck in the wrong locations.
Over the course of a typical year, IROPs can impact airline revenue by as much as 10% when considering both hard- and soft- costs.
All airlines have command centers that co-ordinate IROPs recovery by cancelling flights to reposition them within the network and facilitate recovery.
In most cases, insurance and air travel laws cover the rights of travelers affected by IROPs, but the operational and inconvenience is bourn by TMCs, Travel Managers and the traveler themselves.
Read our most recent travel industry blogs
Costs and innovation are tops as the role of travel managers evolves
With companies trying to navigate the murky waters of post-pandemic travel, and with the world of travel still finding its way back to normality, [...]
Predicting Return to Travel: A Ride on the Rollercoaster
If you followed predictions of when business travel will return to 2019 volumes or even embark on a growth path, you took a seat [...]
Recap: GBTA Europe Conference Berlin
This week, the GBTA Europe Conference in Berlin offered learning and knowledge-sharing opportunities for veterans and novices alike. From interactive sessions to lectures [...]