Originally Posted by chicaloca453
But isn't Eagle into ORD consistently delayed? And won't it be more likely so out of MSP in the evening since NW pretty much owns that airport?
NO!!!
If there is weather, then the Supreme Being gets blamed for the delay, not Eagle....and weather would affect NW, DL, CO, UA, etc...
I just pulled up my last two month's flying....and of the 74 flights (including weekly January MSP overnights and oh-dark thirty departures the next day) all but three were ontime. Of those three, two were cancellations (so: one round trip) and once we were very late into CLE (I think that was a mechanical issue) Every other flight arrived earlier than scheduled, or right on time.
To say that Eagle is consistently late is erroneous. To say that weather and air traffic have big effects on ORD is absolutely correct. These two factors affect each and every airport in the world.
To believe that NW owns the airport and that Eagle is delayed because of that, is also erroneous. NW MAY "own" the airport, but they do not decide in what order airplanes take off and land. They do not receive special dispensation on the taxiway and runway.
If the connection gods are smiling on ORD that day, 54 minutes is plenty of time to walk from G21 gate to L8 (the farthest two gates) after waiting for your valet bags, and being able to stop and use the ladies room. Also, if there is no line, she would be able grab a cuppa joe at Starbucks, too.
You could look into flying MSP-DFW instead of ORD...
I always play out the worst scenario in my mind...what is the WORST thing that could happen if my flight is delayed and I miss my connection...and be prepared for that. If I am prepared for that in my mind, then I can handle whatever issues traveling brings out. If missing the first day in Hawaii is unacceptable, maybe she could leave the day before, just in case? Or, as someone else suggested, standby for an earlier MSP-ORD flight. (That may be the best way to ease your mind, I think.)