I was scheduled to fly a 6 AM Delta Airlines Non-Stop Flight from RDU to MSP on Thursday, August 3rd. The delay started as a 3-hour delay, then 4 1/2 hours, and then finally it was updated to be a 10-hour delay. The plane finally left 10.5 hours later. Many passengers hung around the gate area and nearby restaurants and bars waiting for the eventual departure. Some took another flight to MSP that involved one or two connections. Others hung out at the Delta Lounge. There was a 12:37 PM Non-Stop Flight to MSP that some of us tried to get on via standby but few were successful.

While we all hung out waiting for the eventual departure, I wonder what the assigned pilots and Flight Attendants were doing. Were they waiting in a crew lounge, assigned to another flight, sent home, or to a hotel? If they were not assigned to another flight, did Delta Airlines pay them for the 10.5-hour wait? Anyone know?