Originally Posted by
n12hx
Was on UA450 EWR-ANC yesterday. We pushed at about 15:15, taxied to a holding point, and shut down the engines because ATC wouldn't allow any departures north, west, or south of the airfield (according to the crew). Then the weather hit, crew timed out around 17:30, and we sat until maybe 21:30 before finally getting a gate. Were deplaned, told to go from C133 to C80 and the flight would leave with a new crew at 22:45, halfway there the displays updated sending us back to 133. Looked like it might go, then the flight cancelled.
Most frustrating part was that the entire time we were sitting, UA.com showed us as 'departed, taxiing to runway', and when chatting w/ the robot or using the 1K line, nobody could make any changes because our flight wasn't cancelled, and we were showing as enroute. I don't know what was accomplished by that, other than by the time it actually cancelled, most of the decent backup options to get to ANC were already gone. The crew did their best to keep everyone calm, but a lot of folks were pretty hot that they couldn' make any itinerary changes that whole time.
Was waiting at the C123 lounge entrance with about 40 people at 4:30 this morning, and here I sit, hoping to get out on today's UA450. Thoughts and prayers, y'all.
Sounds like a terrible experience all around. If you look up thread you will see a radar image I posted a bit after 5pm which shows why there no routes north, west, or south.
Regarding not being able to change your flight in the app while sitting on the plane, that makes sense to me. You are actually boarded on an active flight, albeit one that isn't going anywhere. But until you are back at the gate, you that flight is still 'en route'. And you couldn't physically move to another flight since you are still on the plane, not at the terminal.