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Is this a weather or mechanical delay? Today MSP EWR

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Is this a weather or mechanical delay? Today MSP EWR

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Old Mar 27, 2017, 10:28 am
  #1  
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Is this a weather or mechanical delay? Today MSP EWR

My SO is on MSP EWR today, scheduled for 7AM departure.
Left on time, an hour into the flight the captain announced they were headed back to MSP because snow was forecast for EWR today-- and the aircraft's de icing system was inoperative. The 10:50am new departure time came and went, moved to 11, then 11:15, now it's 11:30.

What does DL do with long delays like this on domestic flights? I wonder if this will be considered weather related..
I will let you know more here when I hear how they handled it.
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 10:31 am
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That would be a mechanical delay.
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 10:46 am
  #3  
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they either repaired the de-icing system or did a tail swap

I always wonder why DL IT doesn't (or can't) update departure times more promptly ... even if the jet gets in 10-15 min ahead of the current estimate, they'll STILL be after the currently posted departure estimate (and we know full well that the update is likely to say 330 ... then 340 ... then 345 ...)
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 10:51 am
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Snow? I guess at the higher elevations maybe? Because it's almost 50 degrees (and climbing) at EWR.

Note that there are ATC delays at EWR, so they may try to claim weather.

Due to WEATHER / WIND, departure traffic destined to Newark International Airport, Newark, NJ (EWR) is currently experiencing delays averaging 2 hours and 6 minutes.
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 11:05 am
  #5  
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1. Why does this matter?

2. If the SO certain that the Captain said that it was the aircraft's deicing system and not the airport's? (which would make more sense and might make a difference if there is an answer to #1).

Last edited by Often1; Mar 27, 2017 at 11:16 am
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 11:08 am
  #6  
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Where is it that they're getting their weather info from? EWR is supposed to be 62 degrees today, obviously no snow..
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 12:22 pm
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The reason for turning back would be icing conditions aloft, not at the surface. When one of several anti-icing systems fail, flight into known icing conditions is prohibited.
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 12:35 pm
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You guys are assuming that airplanes only encounter weather at the surface. It can be 70 degrees on the ground and the airplane is still accumulating ice at 10,000 feet.

When certain anti-ice systems fail the airplane is prohibited from flying into icing conditions. That basically means that any clouds at all between MSP and EWR means the flight cannot continue. This would be a mechanical delay since it's a mechanical failure of an airplane system.
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 1:18 pm
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Again, so what?

This isn't the EU, where this might affect whether EC 261/2004 compensation applies. At least as of earlier today, Both MSP and EWR were still in the US.
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 1:41 pm
  #10  
 
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Originally Posted by Often1
Again, so what?

This isn't the EU, where this might affect whether EC 261/2004 compensation applies. At least as of earlier today, Both MSP and EWR were still in the US.
It does matter. Delta usually does a good job of giving reasonable comp ($100-200) when there are MX delays of multiple hours. For WX I wouldn't ask.
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 8:20 pm
  #11  
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Originally Posted by suvayanr
It does matter. Delta usually does a good job of giving reasonable comp ($100-200) when there are MX delays of multiple hours. For WX I wouldn't ask.
Thanks for that reply. I rarely venture onto the DL board here since the vultures are always out in force.
Pax weren't offered anything other than apologies, though I know that DL often sends emails/surveys afterward.
I'll update with what DL says.
Interesting about the conditions aloft, yes my SO was also wondering how snow was a factor with such warm temps.
Thanks again!
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 8:41 pm
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Delta will either give some compensation or they won't. Asking on the board what FT readers think is pointless. FT guesses won't sway DL's decision.
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 9:31 pm
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For all the people on here that complain about, I don't know, getting a snickers bar for dessert, I think the dumping on the OP for asking a legit question is over the top IMO.
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Old Mar 27, 2017, 10:28 pm
  #14  
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Originally Posted by kchoya
For all the people on here that complain about, I don't know, getting a snickers bar for dessert, I think the dumping on the OP for asking a legit question is over the top IMO.
Like the OP mentioned, it seems like vultures here sometimes.
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Old Mar 29, 2017, 6:38 am
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Agreed. Seems like a legit question.

Fill out the comment/complaint and state the captain said the plane's de-icing wasn't working. And wait for their reply.
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