Does Filling up a Plane make the Airline Money?

January 18th, 2011

by Ram Ganeshan

I recently flew Southwest from Baltimore to LaGuardia to meet up with a few friends in Queens, NY (the little less than the $100 for a one-way fare was cheaper, and the 40-minute flight faster than the Acela). The flight was barely half full. I was convinced Southwest was losing money on this flight especially with the cabin seemingly full of tourists likely paying “web only” $100 fares like myself. Really? What my research uncovered surprised me.

How much does it cost the world’s major airlines to fly a passenger a mile? How much money do they make from that passenger? How full are their planes? Read on…

The iPhone 4 Supply Chain

November 28th, 2010

by Ram Ganeshan

Next time you check email or browse your Facebook page on your iPhone 4, think about this: a symphony of hundreds of parts designed by a multitude of companies from three continents has made it happen.

This post follows the iPhone 4’s supply chain – its part suppliers, fabrication, and assembly. I have included an interactive graphic you can explore and learn more about how your iPhone 4 comes together. Enjoy!

Does (Retail) Size Matter? $/sq. ft. of Mall Stores

November 9th, 2010

by Ram Ganeshan

I recently took my daughter to a birthday party at a local mall. Having a couple of hours to kill, I headed to the cramped and crowded Apple Store to checkout the new MacBook Air. After succumbing to the allure of the iPod Touch and a quick coffee stop at Barnes and Noble’s Café, I settled in a comfortable sofa, like many others waiting, listening to the live piano music at the bright and airy Nordstrom that anchors the mall. I could not help wonder that this comfortable space sandwiched between Women’s Shoes and the Make up counters was a lot larger than the Apple store. How large the stores in the mall are and how effectively they use their space? Read on…do the results surprise you?

Our Energy Grid

April 5th, 2010

by Ram Ganeshan

When President Obama recently announced the opening part of our shores to drill for oil and gas, everybody, both from the left and right, was up in arms. The Sierra Club’s response: “There’s no reason to drill our coasts. We can achieve real energy independence and economic vitality by investing in clean energy like wind [...]