question about delay due to "flight crew availability"
 

Quick question, everyone. I am in Amsterdam with friends. Tomorrow they are scheduled to fly UA 908 AMS to ORD using my award miles. The flight is scheduled for 10:55am, but today I received an email informing me that the flight is now scheduled for departure at 12:18pm due to "flight crew availability".

I have to drive them to the airport and it would be far more convenient for me to not leave the hotel until 9am (30 minute drive to the airport). Is it safe to assume that the plane really won't go until then? Or do we need to treat it as if the plane could go at 10:55 and if they just have to sit the extra 1.5 hours that's how it is?

I'm pretty certain that the 12:18PM ETD is based on exactly X number of hours from when the crew began their required rest period. I don't think it'll be possible for them to begin their next duty period any earlier than what's posted.

That being said, I guess it's possible to swap in a new crew, but that would've likely been identified as a possibility earlier on by crew scheduling.

Yes it is safe to assume the plane won't depart before 12:18. And yes, the aircraft could depart at 10:55, but can't because it needs a crew.

Crew scheduling rules are just as strict as aircraft maintenance rules to the FAA. This particularly true after the Continental Express Q400 crashed in Buffalo which was attributed in part to crew fatigue.

Thanks, that is what I am thinking too. It would be so nice for me to NOT have to get up super early to take them!

The crew didn't arrive AMS till almost 2:30 this afternoon AMS time so it's a crew rest delay.

Crew rest periods should not be a problem because transatlantic/transpacific crews usually RON which means they are there 24 hours. However, if one of the pilots is sick and cannot make the return trip, UA would have to dead-head in a new pilot to take his place and that could cause a crew rest violation.

My guess is that it is a pilot that is the problem as the F/As are usually staffed above minimum on international flights and one less F/A than expected would not delay the flight.

Or it could be a late inbound crew from the previous day.... :)

My point exactly they left Chicago over 4 hours late yesterday arriving AMS over 4 hours late today. Hence they are delayed on the return trip tomorrow.

I have not flown AMS to USA, so I am not aware of actual airport processing time on Wednesdays. Just to note that UA advises to allow 3 hours, if that information is helpful.

Even though the flight may be delayed, that does not equate to check-in being delayed. IIRC, check-in at AMS is done by contract staff and they very well could close the desks an hour prior to the scheduled departure time (and likely move on to their next assignment). If your friend needs to check a bag or is not able to check-in (and print a boarding pass) on-line then you should make sure they are at the airport with sufficient time to make the check-in cut off. The last UA departure is the ORD at 10:55 so, conceivably, the check-in desks could close around 10am.

Thanks, this is good to know. I think that we'll leave at 8:45am then to be sure to be there by 9:15am.

This is from an experience that I had on a domestic flight, but the chances of the same thing happening is still real. Flight was delayed by 90 minutes, and I arrived after the original 15 minutes prior to departure. The flight had closed. I don't know what magic they worked, but I was able to get put on a later flight out, and then moved back to the delayed flight. I wouldn't count on this being possible, and I had a very sympathetic agent that was always willing to help me out.