FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - How do they decide when to hold a plane for late connections?
Old Dec 23, 2017, 11:27 pm
  #12  
expert7700
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,158
After 2000 flights in the US and now at least 300 Air Canada flights, I see a huge contrast. In the US I almost always see flights held for connecting pax when the airline would otherwise have to pay for a hotel. (I am OFTEN inconvenienced by this). I can say that every time I have ever seen AC hold a flight it has just been 'dumb luck". Maintenance, boarding delay, waiting on crew, inbound plane was late, a late pax with checked bags already onboard, or deep cleaning. (one of those reasons may be a joke).

Even the concierges, running with Super Elites, are convinced they are nearly powerless besides 'trying to make it.' I did have one recent incident where the gate agent told a concierge she would give us ONE extra minute if she radioed the gate after we ran past a certain point.

My take is they are all doing their jobs, with clear boundaries to their work duties and what they can/cannot do.

I also suspect there is a deeper issue than AC wanting to be punctual.... Maybe crew rest times at the destination are kept as short as legally possible, or maybe pilot unions have negotiated a best efforts basis of keeping their rest time in tact.

Last edited by expert7700; Dec 23, 2017 at 11:32 pm
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