No – I think I am missing something. I guess my question stemmed from why there was NO INDICATION of an ATC delay for 1958 - and that is where I would have thought it would show. That would make the ATC delay reason for 1699 more understandable. Perhaps I don't look at these reasons often enough to see that they are apparently not complete (no listing of ATC delay for 1958.) In fact, flightaware shows on the next day 1958 departed 7:23 with a scheduled departure of 7:30 and was off at 7:38. On the day in question, that same 7:30 scheduled departure was delayed to 7:36, with listed reasons of MTC. However, aircraft was not off until 8:29 - with no reason given. (The "reason" apparently showed up on 1699.) SO, was CMH just a mess that day (weather?) - and the 6 minute delay had no real effect, or did 1958 lose its take-off window due to the maintenance delay and have to wait - that, if it occurred - would in my book make any downline delay a MTC issue, not ATC. Although you may have answered my quesion when you said delays once in the air are not maintenance. If you really meant "when it leaves the gate", that might be it. I guess I was idly wondering how to "dig deeper." I am under the impression airlines prefer to use reasons that are not under their control (ATC) rather than those which are (MTC). In any event, the recovery was great!