Flight last night from SFO-ORD 1522 (original departure time 11:45 PM on Aug. 4) was delayed just over 2 hours both leaving and arriving. Incoming aircraft (from ORD) was delayed, and I'm not sure why. About 20 minutes prior to actual boarding, the gate agent came on the PA and announced that if we did not take off by 2 AM, the crew would be "going illegal" (I have no idea what that means except she spoke in low, very d-r-a-m-a-t-i-c tones) and admonished us to hurry up and get ready to get on the plane. Then we sat around and waited some more while she periodically told us that we should hurry so we can get off the ground, while a red haired toddler wailed in the distance, perhaps voicing what we were all really feeling...

Once on the plane, the FAs also continually chided us about getting on board quickly and in our seats. I overheard two in the back complaining about having to be drug tested at some point for this whole "going illegal" business but they didn't seem concerned enough to stop a passenger who got up to go to the bathroom after the cabin door was closed just before departure and instead scolded her over the intercom about how they would have to start the video over when she got back in her seat.

A nuisance all around, with many missing their connections. So... is it reasonable to ask for some kind of compensation? I didn't have a connecting flight, but this delay sure screwed up some of the timing for what I had planned once I was on the ground.