DL connection crews are morons now? Well, isn't that respectful and mature. Why is it so hard to understand that at DL and each DL connection carrier, there are separate manuals and procedures. As much as DL wants to have all the airlines aligned, it is impossible. Jeez... DL crews never make mistakes or misinterpret a rule do they? Gimme a break and cut the Conneciton vs. mainline stereotypes! It's getting old. This "issue" if you can call it that is so trivial it's comical. All the suggestions to write DL and alert them remind me of kids trying to get someone they hate in trouble.

With regards to the OP... there ARE special procedures for crews at Mesaba going into and out of DCA. They don't include the old 30 minute rule, however. The rules for DCA are indeed more restrictive than normal and do set out a clear policy for arriving and departing, but it seems this crew might have taken it one step further and recalled the old policy or someone misunderstood the procedures.