Package System Updates 2023

[joefremont]

HI Flyers, I am about to release an update to the package system that I thought I would explain, which specifically applies to releasing packages before you get to your current destination.

First a reminder of the theory behind how the packages work in FSA. Located at every airport is a shipping agent, customer wanting to send something, goes down to there local shipping agent and hands over there package that is going some place. The agent charges them so much, keeps 25% for themselves and hands the rest to what ever airline will transport the package to its destination. If you get close you can pay someone to put it on a truck but failing that, once you accept the package you are required to get it to its destination or pay a penalty.

The basic idea behind that is at every airport there is a shipping agent, where someone goes to when they want to send a package, the agent charges the customer and when an aircraft is flying to that destination they pickup the package, the agent takes there cut and the airline keeps the rest. If the airline decides latter they have gone far enough they can go to the agent at the new airport and do the same thing.

Example:

Customer walks into the shipping agent at San Francisco/KSFO and wants to send a 200kg package to New York/KJFK;
Typical revenue would be 900 so the agent charges them 1200$ and give the airline 900$ to send it.
The airline then flies to Chicago/KORD and decides they cant go any farther, they then go to the local shipping agent to send the package forward. A typical revenue from KORD to KJFK would be 420$ but the agent needs there cut so they charge 560$. Net result is the airline would keep 340$ (37%) vs the 900$ they would get if they went all the way. Obviously the closer you get to your destination the larger your profit. Different example, KSFO to Paris/LFPG would be 1800$ but if you from Manchester/EGCC to Paris might be 300$ but with agent markup would be 400$ so 1800$ - 400$ would be 1400$ (78%).

There are updates to several of the pages to allow you to 'release' these packages at different locations, this includes a new page off the aircraft information page that allows you to release packages on the aircraft.

BTW, I found a bug in the formula for calculating the value of 100,000 kg packages what was increasing the price by more than double, I have fixed that and updated the payment for all packages that are not yet delivered.

[chrisjk84]

Has this been implemented yet?

[joefremont]

Yes, it has been deployed