inbound crew delay ORD UA 278
Jun 4, 2014, 7:27 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,117
inbound crew delay ORD UA 278
Is there always a greater chance of crew delays late in the day or does that even matter? Seems flying early or first flight of the day is best for reliability. Is there a definite stack up of delay causes with relationship to time of day?
UA is a major hub.... Is there no slack to accommodate crew changes?
FYI. After the crew for us going, a bird strike by a landing aircraft on runway 9 caused another 20 minutes delay for FOD search and removal of dead birds.
UA is a major hub.... Is there no slack to accommodate crew changes?
FYI. After the crew for us going, a bird strike by a landing aircraft on runway 9 caused another 20 minutes delay for FOD search and removal of dead birds.
Jun 4, 2014, 7:32 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,719
Commuting or deadheading crews, or those working a flight prior to yours, are hostage to UA flight operations, which predictably unravels in the back half of the day. You will find several FTers who refuse to book departures on UA after 1200pm / noon for this reason.
Jun 4, 2014, 8:10 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,159
Arrival delay of 11 minutes.
Edit: Note to self - don't trust Google. Looks like it's actually scheduled to arrive 37 minutes late.
Edit: Note to self - don't trust Google. Looks like it's actually scheduled to arrive 37 minutes late.
Jun 5, 2014, 5:55 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,117
Interesting tactic to never leave after 1200. I usually go FFOD if it's not ridiculous early, especially where AC is already on the ground. Exception is RJ flights in winter where they tend to freeze up overnight, or where UA pre-cancels flights "just in case".
Jun 5, 2014, 5:59 am
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,600
Unless my schedule prevents it, I follow this religiously for domestic flights on UA.
Jun 5, 2014, 1:03 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,693
Code:
sch_dep_hour | late_arrival | cancelled
--------------+--------------+-----------
4 | 0% | 0.0%
5 | 6% | 1.6%
6 | 7% | 0.6%
7 | 12% | 0.7%
8 | 10% | 0.7%
9 | 13% | 0.4%
10 | 17% | 0.9%
11 | 16% | 0.6%
12 | 18% | 0.8%
13 | 25% | 0.6%
14 | 22% | 0.7%
15 | 26% | 1.2%
16 | 29% | 0.9%
17 | 32% | 0.9%
18 | 34% | 1.3%
19 | 28% | 1.0%
20 | 29% | 1.5%
21 | 29% | 0.6%
22 | 22% | 0.6%
23 | 12% | 1.8%
0 | 15% | 2.3%
Jun 5, 2014, 1:14 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Indianapolis
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HH Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 383
I was skeptical of this, but sure enough, the delay rate spikes for departures after the noon hour; UA mainline for the last 2 weeks:
But those 5am flights also have a dismal completion rate (<98.5%).
Code:
sch_dep_hour | late_arrival | cancelled
--------------+--------------+-----------
4 | 0% | 0.0%
5 | 6% | 1.6%
6 | 7% | 0.6%
7 | 12% | 0.7%
8 | 10% | 0.7%
9 | 13% | 0.4%
10 | 17% | 0.9%
11 | 16% | 0.6%
12 | 18% | 0.8%
13 | 25% | 0.6%
14 | 22% | 0.7%
15 | 26% | 1.2%
16 | 29% | 0.9%
17 | 32% | 0.9%
18 | 34% | 1.3%
19 | 28% | 1.0%
20 | 29% | 1.5%
21 | 29% | 0.6%
22 | 22% | 0.6%
23 | 12% | 1.8%
0 | 15% | 2.3%
Jun 5, 2014, 8:22 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NM, USA
Programs: United, Southwest
Posts: 23
My experience is that out of my local airport (ABQ) the worst time for crew delays is the earliest flight which is about 6 am. If the crew gets delayed on the last flight out the night before (common with regional jet crews) then they can't fly early the next morning. I worry about this every time I have to go ABQ to DEN to connect to another flight which is often since there are few direct flights from ABQ to anywhere.
Jun 5, 2014, 10:11 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Up North
Programs: Skymiles, MPL Chase Premier
Posts: 782
On the other hand, it beats taking the last flight of the day and finding you're going to misconx in DEN due to "ATC". Then you have the dillema of spending the night in DEN till the AM flight or flying out in the AM from ABQ.
Last edited by Starblazer; Jun 5, 2014 at 10:29 pm