USA doesn't use 24 hour clock ?

[mrsterryn]

Just a random query. Caught a flight home on Friday from LAX to Sydney and the Qantas staff member crossed out the printed time 21.45 to a handwritten time of 9.45.
Any rationale behind them doing that ?. She did it almost as an auto action

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yeah, it’s common in the USA. Flight times indicated as ‘403P’ for example on my itinerary from American (yes, my flight was scheduled at 4.03pm…not 4, or 4.05!)

Searching on AA’s website via the aussie site returns flights in 24hr clock, but switch to the USA site and it’s back to 12hr and am or pm!

 

[mrsterryn]

I just found it really weird.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I just found it really weird.

Scratching out the time in the boarding pass is a bit odd, but I guess they do what the majority is used to?

But in general I don’t mind the 12hr clock for departures. When i tell people what flight i’m on I say the ‘8pm’, not the ‘2000’.

 

[SYD]

Scratching out the time in the boarding pass is a bit odd, but I guess they do what the majority is used to?

But in general I don’t mind the 12hr clock for departures. When i tell people what flight i’m on I say the ‘8pm’, not the ‘2000’.

That would be the twenty hundred flight!

But I suspect the average American wouldn’t understand. Heck, they mangle dates as it is….

 

[ausfox]

It needs to be dumbed down for infrequent flyers.

 

[Quickstatus]

It’s not a surprise, they are still using miles, feet, inches, gallons, ounce, Fahrenheit, pound. Even the dates are wrong

 

[Dr Ralph]

Just a random query. Caught a flight home on Friday from LAX to Sydney and the Qantas staff member crossed out the printed time 21.45 to a handwritten time of 9.45.
Any rationale behind them doing that ?. She did it almost as an auto action

Got a Qantas flight from LAX to SYD within the last month. This did not occur for me.

 

[AIRwin]

Got a Qantas flight from LAX to SYD within the last month. This did not occur for me.

QF18?

 

[justinbrett]

I wouldn't say 24h is in common use in Australia either. Maybe in official use for transport, but in common use, I rarely hear people use 24h time.

Not at all saying we don't understand it, it's just not how most people think by default. Certain industries excepted.

I'd actually consider it a service improvement to use 12h for everyday passengers. Otherwise, go the full hog and use UTC.

 

[QF029]

In the US they refer to it as military time. It's not used widely at all.

 

[Dr Ralph]

QF18?

QF12.

 

[LondonAussie]

In the US they refer to it as military time. It's not used widely at all.

Yep gave me a laugh the last time I was in the USA when someone saw the clock on my phone screen and commented "wow your phone is in military time"

The UK and Europe are the opposite, everywhere uses 24 hour time.

Australia seems to be about half way in between.

 

[SYD]

In the US they refer to it as military time.

Also a term used elsewhere but 24 hr has taken over.

Otherwise, go the full hog and use UTC.

That would be “Zulu time” - sticking with the military theme.

 

[Franky]

Also a term used elsewhere but 24 hr has taken over.

That would be “Zulu time” - sticking with the military theme.

Being a former Navy man, I'm all for the 24 hour times...

 

[SYD]

Being a former Navy man, I'm all for the 24 hour times...

Ditto. Absolutely no excuse for rocking up 12 hrs early/late for a plane/train/automobile….

Zulu time even better but I can’t see that catching on…

 

[Quickstatus]

It really does not matter whatever time system is used because it won’t solve the perennial issue that some people will be late for their flight

Trivia: Apple phones (at least) allows time zone to be set to UTC /GMT

 

[porterble]

Zulu is useful, but trying to convince anyone in the US about having to convert between anything and Juliet and it just about blows their mind. Its not like they don't have multiple timezones already...

 

[Quickstatus]

Zulu is useful

For the vast majority it’s useless/confusing

 

[jb747]

24hour good. Zulu...useless for the vast majority.