I am on a flight (1800) from FLL to EWR this afternoon and I just got a trip alert message stating that the flight will be late for about an hour.

I was puzzled by this because I checked this morning and found out that the inbound aircraft was FL75 from HAM then became FL301 and then FL1800. FL75 was only about 10 minutes late coming in. So I checked again and found out that the inbound flight has become FL97 from TXL then 301 the 1800. FL 97 was scheduled orginally to arrive at 12:30pm which would be late for 301 scheduled departing time of 1:10pm anyway. Odd...

There's another flight (1700) from FLL to EWR an hour after 1800. The inbound flight for that is FL69 from ARN then FL1601 then 1700. And FL69 arrived early. As a result of it, FL 1700 will arrive earlier than 1800 according to co.com.

I was wonderful why CO didn't use FL69 as FL301 to reduce the delay (probably won't be any delay at all). The planes are both 757-200 w BF seats so the config are the same. FL 1800 usually has some intl connecting passengers. With delay, it means trouble. If it can be avoided, why not?

Sorry for my ignorance if there are a lot of things behind. It would be nice to know though.

CJ

Perhaps they used that aircraft for a different flight that would have had a larger downline impact?

Say EWR-FLL terminates in FLL and spends the night there, but EWR-SFO turns around in an hour and becomes a redeye SFO-EWR, if CO has to delay one of those, they're better off delaying FLL and getting SFO out on time if possible.

Perhaps one plane has the winglets and the other does not. For some flights (EWR-TXL-EWR) the winglets are essential. Perhaps someone is thinking ahead to make sure the plane with the winglets is ready to go back across the pond tonight on schedule. All conjecture, of course