Why don't they ever hold a flight for me?
Feb 8, 2013, 9:59 am
#1
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: GSO
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Why don't they ever hold a flight for me?
I can't count the number of times I have been on the last leg of my trip home, and the pilot gets on the PA and says "we are going to wait another 5-10 minutes to let some late connections get here". Not a problem...usually the last flight of the night, and they can typically make up that time in the air anyway. So last night, I was late getting into CLT from MKE, landed at 10:20, my connection to GSO was at 10:35. Got my bag and trucked from E1 to C2. Got to the gate at 10:38 - plane was gone. Left early at 10:31. I realize they can't always hold a flight for every late connection, but 3 minutes? Seems like I never get the breaks! Oh well. Rented a car and drove to GSO.
I assume it's operations that makes the decision to let a flight leave or hold it for late connections?
I assume it's operations that makes the decision to let a flight leave or hold it for late connections?
Feb 8, 2013, 10:44 am
#2
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Exactly. A number of things are involved when making a decision to hold a flight such as: how many passengers would the flight be held for?, does holding the departure cause any issues with crew timing or rest?, take off slots, etc.
Feb 8, 2013, 5:03 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2003
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Unless something has changed since I retired the final decision to hold is made in PIT by the folks in passenger control or whatever it's called. The rest is correct.
Feb 8, 2013, 5:26 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 125
Why don't they ever hold a flight for me?
Grrrrrr... Inconsistency is annoying. And Murphy's law and such.
Feb 8, 2013, 7:19 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Agreed. There are so many variables that you can never really know enough of the why's to claim inconsistency. You've got curfews to beat, crew timeouts, other passengers with potentially tight connections (not in the OP's case most likely but can often be a factor) etc.
Feb 9, 2013, 7:39 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Was flying JAX-DCA-LGA on Thursday night...JAX-DCA was delayed about 30 minutes, landed at 859PM and my DCA-LGA shuttle was at 9PM...sprinted down to the gate and pleasantly surprised to see them holding the plane...there are 7 inbound PAX from my plane going to the shuttle, the GA said "I should've been gone a long time ago but they told me to wait for you guys" not sure if it was due to the 7 inbound PAX or the impending weather but I was glad they held it
Feb 9, 2013, 8:35 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Believe it not, was flying biz class out of London, they held the plane for me (just me) for about 20 mins. Had someone escort me through some back channels to get to the new gate faster when I got in from my connecting flight -- quite impressive....
Feb 9, 2013, 6:34 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 125
Why don't they ever hold a flight for me?
It is inconsistency. No debating this. It's consistent with the definition of inconsistent: something that does not occur the same way each time.
Alas: flying is all about inconsistency, especially
when it comes to timetables. It's an accepted part of the experience.
Alas: flying is all about inconsistency, especially
when it comes to timetables. It's an accepted part of the experience.
Feb 9, 2013, 6:56 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2008
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How would you know it doesn't occur the same way each time? Considering you don't have an oversight on the data that airline has (crew time, connecting flight info etc...) you can't make such a claim.
Feb 9, 2013, 8:02 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 125
Why don't they ever hold a flight for me?
This is a semantic argument, but of course I can. This exact scenario has has happened to me and it has happened to the OP. Therefore we have both experienced the aforementioned inconsistency and the process is inconsistent. 
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Feb 9, 2013, 8:19 pm
#12
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Don't forget that one of the reasons carriers overbook is misconnects. They count on delays. It's entirely possible that OP's flight was overbooked and that his seat was given to a SB at T-10. Yet another factor.
Feb 9, 2013, 8:32 pm
#13
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How do you know it is EXACT same scenario? Do you know the number of passengers that was delayed was the same? Do you know that crew had same time on the books?
Feb 10, 2013, 12:46 am
#14
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 125
Why don't they ever hold a flight for me?
You win. I give up.
Feb 10, 2013, 10:42 am
#15
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Not wanting to get too far into the semantics debate because we could debate till the cows come home over if the situations themselves occur in the same way each time, but the point of "it's an accepted part of the experience" is the big takeaway. Sometimes they will hold for you. Sometimes they won't. Sometimes they will hold for the other guy and you will miss your connection. Sometimes they will leave the other guy behind and you will make your connection. The big point is, it's out of your control and you can't take it personally when the decision doesn't go your way.