Originally Posted by
FlyerBeek
Additionally, JFK can have some pretty horrendous congestion in the evening which adds considerably to the taxi times. Fortunately, it's gotten much better over the past year ever since they impoved the process to cope with the 13R/31L closure. I used to fly on the evening JFK-DCA flight regularly a few years back and the taxi time almost always exceeded the actual flying time.
-FlyerBeek
Indeed, what you point to seems to be a combination of factors. I used to take that evening JFK-DCA Eagle flight every Sunday night and the delays were chronic....at least 2 hours on the plane for 45 minutes in the air. But most of the time JFK ATC was to blame. We would board and then wait for our wheels up time, usually sitting in the penalty box or in a line of 35 airplanes waiting to take off.
Other times, especially during the 31 construction, AA would grab out takeoff slot for a mainline departure, and we would be stuck waiting.