Taking my first CO fight in over a year....between US dumping ERI-PIT flights (who wants to spend FOUR HOURS in PHL for a connection to a 25 minute flight) and the elimination of the 500 mile minimum, I'm doing a one-way ERI-CLE-MDT in about three weeks.

How is the weather in CLE around end of march? What are my odds of weather issues/delays/cancellations?

Weather in CLE at the end of March is generally not too bad. There is the chance for some snow like we just had this weekend, but the odds are slim.

There's definitely a chance of severe weather like this past weekend (heck in 2004 there was even a freak end of May blizzard) but the chances are slim. CLE is a great connecting airport and CO is usually generous with its reacommodations in the event of weather. Go for it and enjoy CO.

Keep in mind, Commutair's Dash-8's fly both routes. Lots of people here will moan about getting stuck on one, but I think they're fun little planes.

I'd be stuck on a Dash8 on US from PHL-MDT anyway...only jet would be a CRJ from ERI-PHL. Frankly I'd take a Dash8 over a CRJ as long as the flight wasn't too terrible long. I find more room in the 8 than the CRJ honestly. Plus I get to avoid the 4 hour layover in PHL for what amounts to a 25 min flight/1 hr 45 minute drive

My last CO flight was great - 767 to HNL...can't beat it.

I know CLE gets a bad rap in terms of weather and winter in general, but, in reality, the airport is situated West of the city/lake and thus escapes much of the sever snowfall associated with Cleveland in general. I fly through CLE at leat 2x/month all year long and usually only get delayed/stuck by a storm at the most 2x/yr. This past weekend would have been one of them if I hadn;t jumped to a PHL flight and got out of dodge!

CLE generally is a very reliable connecting point, especially from mainline to mainline, but ExpressJet cancels flights if there is a single snowflake in the air. I have traveled through CLE four times in the last three weeks, and two out of my four original ExpressJet flights ended up being canceled, one due to snow (ended up on an earlier flight, though) and one due to crew issues. Another problem is that they often cancel multiple flights in a row. For example, a few weeks ago during a mild snowstorm, the 7:35 DCA flight was not canceled, but the 8:40, 11:35, and later, the 2:45 were all canceled. Fortunately, I was able to get a seat on the 7:35. Last week, my original flight at 8:30 am was canceled, and there was no confirmable space until a 4:45 flight. Again, fortunately, I got the last seat as a standby on an 8:40 flight to an alternate airport.

You're kidding, right? CO is probably the worst in the industry in terms of reaccommodation. At least the worst of the majors.

No actually I've found them very accomodating if you do your homework ahead of time and ask for specific flights. I was able to get out of Cleveland on Sunday via CVG with a mix of Commutair and Delta by speaking with a supervisor. Customer care booked me into Y on Delta even though I was flying on a mileage reward.

As a former resident of the city by the bay, I would think ERI is actually your bigger risk with regards to weather than CLE.

Weather at the end of March is really hit-or-miss. Last year, the Indians home opener was snowed-out. (ok it was really in April, but...)

Average highs for the last week of March sit right at 50 degrees.

I agree.

Yep, and theose Dash 8's are workhorses - they fly in just about anything.

>>>How is CLE in end of March? >>>

Slightly better than Peoria or Troy

Probably right. Last time I flew out of ERI (17 years ago), it snowed so bad I was stuck till the next day.