Took off with 8 open seats in First!
Jul 29, 2016, 10:59 am
#16
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,928
Jul 29, 2016, 11:13 am
#17
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: AA Plat Pro, DL GM, Marriott LTP
Posts: 563
Not really. Weather wreaks all kinds of havoc on airline ops and aircraft have extremely tight departure/arrival windows when ground stops are in place. I'm just ready to get to my destination after long delays and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to expedite the departure.
Jul 29, 2016, 11:15 am
#18
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MEM
Programs: Starbucks Green Card
Posts: 5,431
Jul 29, 2016, 11:16 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Location: CMH
Programs: DL Diamond, HHonors Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12
LOL!
Yeah, I've had many a gate agent tell me NOT to wait to board because it slows things down. I see them bring people up about 1 out of 3 flights I am on... You used to lose it once you boarded, but the app maintains the list and even re-prioritizes up until the doors are closed...
time to get more popcorn...
Yeah, I've had many a gate agent tell me NOT to wait to board because it slows things down. I see them bring people up about 1 out of 3 flights I am on... You used to lose it once you boarded, but the app maintains the list and even re-prioritizes up until the doors are closed...
time to get more popcorn...
Jul 29, 2016, 11:31 am
#20
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, Hyatt Discoverist, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,303
Since then, my MO when I'm anywhere in the picture of an upgrade (which I basically define as n+1 to n+3 (where n is the number of seats available) is to approach the GA at a quiet moment and ask how they would prefer me to handle the upgrade. That way we're both on the same page — and so he or she knows me as a person with a face, and not just a line on the screen. Worked in my favor on an MSP-BOS flight this week where I was N+1, and there was one no show. The redcoat brought me my boarding pass on the plane.
Jul 29, 2016, 11:42 am
#21
In memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PIT
Programs: DM life is over 2MM PM now & NW MillionAir Wyndham Rewards Plat -Hotels.com Silver -Accor Silver
Posts: 15,408
Jul 29, 2016, 11:48 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Location: CMH
Programs: DL Diamond, HHonors Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12
Since then, my MO when I'm anywhere in the picture of an upgrade (which I basically define as n+1 to n+3 (where n is the number of seats available) is to approach the GA at a quiet moment and ask how they would prefer me to handle the upgrade. That way we're both on the same page
Jul 29, 2016, 12:54 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM+(segs)/MM, UA Ag, Hilton DM, Marriott Ti (life Pt), TSA Opt-out Platinum
Posts: 3,227
Yeah, they don't really know how deep in line they are at that point. It's just a guess. Due to the weather on the departure routes, they were likely running MIT (Miles in Trail) spacing between aircraft going over X fix to give pilots more room to deviate around storms. That can really slow things down and ATC doesn't usually share that with the pilots (although if they have a good dispatcher, they can look it up on the ATC website). If it gets bad enough, they'll close a fix for a while. Then you're sitting indefinitely.
75 minutes later...
Jul 29, 2016, 1:01 pm
#24
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: HHonors Gold, Hertz 5*, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat, buys Spirit tickets at the airport ticket counter ;-)
Posts: 498
Do keep in mind also that sometimes in WX IROPS there is a very narrow window in which ATC has assigned a flight to push back. A delay +/- 5 minutes to re-seat 8 people may have jeopardized this slot and the crew's time.
Jul 29, 2016, 1:03 pm
#25
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
Just curious, but why didn't you ask about an upgrade in the gate area? Were passengers 1&2 on the UG list moved to first? If not, upgrades might have been closed on this flight to expedite the boarding process.
Sounds completely logical to me. If gate ops/FA's spend time moving passengers to first instead of focusing on preparing the cabin for departure, yes, it could cause further delays.
Not really. Weather wreaks all kinds of havoc on airline ops and aircraft have extremely tight departure/arrival windows when ground stops are in place. I'm just ready to get to my destination after long delays and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to expedite the departure.
Sounds completely logical to me. If gate ops/FA's spend time moving passengers to first instead of focusing on preparing the cabin for departure, yes, it could cause further delays.
Not really. Weather wreaks all kinds of havoc on airline ops and aircraft have extremely tight departure/arrival windows when ground stops are in place. I'm just ready to get to my destination after long delays and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to expedite the departure.
Jul 29, 2016, 3:26 pm
#27
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: AA Plat Pro, DL GM, Marriott LTP
Posts: 563
Take some time and listen to JFK's ground feed on LiveATC during IROPS and you will see the razor thin margins airlines operate on when there is a weather event. A "slight" delay can cause an aircraft to lose their departure slot, but it's ok, as long as you get to sit upfront.
http://www.liveatc.net/search/?icao=KJFK
Jul 29, 2016, 3:43 pm
#29
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: AA Plat Pro, DL GM, Marriott LTP
Posts: 563
Says who? According to the OP, they were finalizing the passenger manifest so they could close the door to depart. They weren't discussing who was voted off of the Bachelorette. Geez
Jul 29, 2016, 4:55 pm
#30
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Twin Cities
Programs: Delta DM MM, IHG Plat, Hilton DM, Marriott SE, Emerald EE, Oakdale Gun Club, NRA & GOA Life Member
Posts: 3,870
I always find it amusing when, passengers that spend a significant portion of their lives on a airplane, suddenly become experts on the inter workings of the airline industry.
Take some time and listen to JFK's ground feed on LiveATC during IROPS and you will see the razor thin margins airlines operate on when there is a weather event. A "slight" delay can cause an aircraft to lose their departure slot, but it's ok, as long as you get to sit upfront.
http://www.liveatc.net/search/?icao=KJFK
Take some time and listen to JFK's ground feed on LiveATC during IROPS and you will see the razor thin margins airlines operate on when there is a weather event. A "slight" delay can cause an aircraft to lose their departure slot, but it's ok, as long as you get to sit upfront.
http://www.liveatc.net/search/?icao=KJFK