Originally Posted by
45YearsofFlying
I have a question. What might be the reasons that United would a day ahead proactively cancel the 2 pm and 4 pm 12/26 flights from ORD-LGA but not cancel the 3 pm and 6 pm flights? Depending on the weather report, snow is not supposed to start until 4 pm EST at the earliest. All the aircraft appear to be 737-800s.
Aircraft and crew positioning. Either the inbound to ORD being the issue or not wanting/needing to strand them in LGA if they can even make it. Snow won't start until late this afternoon but it will be very heavy this evening and the later flights from ORD are 99.999% likely to be cancelled. If the higher forecasts verify (9-10" at KLGA) then it will take them all night to dig out.
Also, they will sometimes cancel the lightly booked flights to consolidate ahead of time and hopefully run one or two of the ORD-LGA frequencies. Today is a light travel/flying day overall so fewer passengers will be disrupted.
On 12/14 when LGA had 6" of snow I was flying ORD-LGA. I changed my flight five times (2p, 12p, 11a, 10a and finally the scheduled 755a). I wound up confirmed on the 755a (departed at 1115am) while all the others cancelled and one was delayed 4 hours. I got lucky. Most did not.
LGA/EWR are going to be the proverbial crap show later today and through most of tomorrow as they try to ramp things back up. Get on any flight that's going and take whatever seat you're given. That's my mantra in these situations.
-RM