Originally Posted by
squeakr
5. The entire time, there was no clear information about the delay on either United website or United app. They showed the plane departing at 548 up until about 9 o'clock or so when the correct information was posted. Don't the rules include a requirement to post accurate information about flight delays?
There was a discussion on another thread about this, which seems to happen when:
(1) The aircraft has pushed, so it departed "on time" (or close to on time)
(2) The aircraft is sitting on the tarmac waiting for ATC clearance, but ATC hasn't provided an estimated wheels up time because of extended delays or unpredictable weather
therefore
(3) The flight does not have an estimated arrival time, because it's wheels up time, wheels down time, etc. have not been established.
(4) There is nothing to update the "estimated arrival" time
to, because no one knows when the flight will land
therefore
(5) Flight still shows its original "estimated arrival" time and "on time" status in United's system, even if e.g. that estimated arrival time is in the past or very near future and the plane is still sitting on the taxiway a few yards from where it started.
(6) Phone agents / app won't let you rebook a connection because your flight is "on time", even though it has 0% chance of arriving on time.
At least, that's how I understood the discussion. People were proposing that if the current time plus typical flight duration was a lot later than the "estimated arrival", that the flight should show as "delayed" and United should allow rebooking. But as it currently works, if the plane pushes on time and has no assigned wheels up time, the system produces this undesirable result.