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Very Long Delays on Flight 500 - Anyone Know Why?

 
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Old Feb 18, 2007, 12:08 am
  #1  
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Very Long Delays on Flight 500 - Anyone Know Why?

Just curious if anyone flew on or had access to the delay info for flight 500 PHX-IND in the last few days? I usually take it but ended up doing the earlier flight (apparently a great idea). It was delayed 5 hours and the crew didn't know why (I flew back with them today). They timed out but elected to continue on (not sure how that works).

Just curious if anyone had any insight - I'm almost always delayed on the return, but cannot recall ever being delayed on the outbound. I've got a few more trips to Indy in the coming weeks and would like to know if I should be booking the day flight instead...

This is from the web site for yesterday's flight:
Flight # 500
Depart Phoenix, AZ
Date 2/16/2007
Gate A28
Scheduled 7:22 PM
Actual 12:07 AM

Status Departed

Arrive Indianapolis, IN
Date 2/17/2007
Gate D6
Scheduled 12:38 AM
Actual 5:39 AM

Status Arrived

To the best of my knowledge, there were no weather issues (light snow, but FAA didn't show closures/delays when I checked).

Tonight's flight shows:

Flight # 500
Depart Phoenix, AZ
Date 2/17/2007
Gate
Scheduled 7:22 PM
Actual 9:54 PM

Status Departed

Arrive Indianapolis, IN
Date 2/18/2007
Gate D4
Scheduled 12:38 AM
Actual 3:14 AM

Status Estimated Arrival


Thanks for any info!

Sean
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Old Feb 18, 2007, 6:46 am
  #2  
 
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Do you know where the plane comes into PHX from?
debbieb is offline  
Old Feb 18, 2007, 9:38 am
  #3  
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What I've heard keeps most crews from not electing to stay on is that once you've timed out and elected to stay on - it's not just for that flight - it just keeps going so if the crew arrived in IND at 6 a.m. they could be sent to work another flight and they have no recourse (well I'm sure there's an FAA max in there somewhere for cabin crew).
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Old Feb 18, 2007, 9:49 am
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One inbound to PHX came from Cancun I believe, the other from Reno.

The F/A told me that they timed out but elected to stay on - they had a hotel for about 8 hours in Indy then worked the return flight where they would terminate for some period of time.

In the scheme of things, it's really not a big deal - I was just curious as those seemed like excessive delays coming out of PHX to a destination not typically known for major issues.
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Old Feb 18, 2007, 10:34 am
  #5  
 
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Location: PHX
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Some info I found out Sean --

The inbound from Reno landed at 6:15pm, though because of a MX problem on another flight, that aircraft was rerouted to operate that flight, leaving IND without an aircraft. There was another aircraft in the hanger that was supposed to return to service shortly, that was going to operate Flight 500. It never got fixed and left 500 without a plane.

Finally at 9pm they found an airplane but it had to do a LAX turn first, making the departure time 11:40pm. It wasn't weather.

FAs receive extra pay for going beyond the 14:30 duty day as a "bonus" for not having scheduling replace the FAs and lose another reserve. Its easier to pay them, then to lose another FA. The FAs were on the plane already, boarding when they were projected to exceed 14:30 - so just elected to go on rather then causing yet another delay.

There is a limit they CANNOT exceed and thats a 16 hr day.. they are required 8 hours rest. That crew pulled in to IND at 15hrs for the day.

Sean, recongize my user name?
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Old Feb 18, 2007, 11:55 am
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Just curious, what type of aircraft operates that flight?
Nicksta is offline  
Old Feb 18, 2007, 12:11 pm
  #7  
 
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its an A320
BobbyL262 is offline  
Old Feb 18, 2007, 8:50 pm
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Must have been a US "WEST" crew. On the eastern side of operations, you can't be scheduled for more than 14 hours. It is the crew's option to go to 15 hours but one minute more than 15 is not allowed. On the east side the f/a's always stay with the same set of pilots, therefore they are covered with the "me-too" clause and we follow their set of rules. If you haven't left the gate and the flight projects you over 15 hours you don't take it.
The bonus to fly extra duty must also be a west benefit, I've never heard of it before on the east.
On a side note, my parents flew out of IND yesterday on another airline and they were very delayed with late arriving airplane and then deicing that followed. Just not a good day for IND.
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Old Feb 18, 2007, 9:09 pm
  #9  
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Thanks all for the info, especially BobbyL262!

I flew out the same day as GalleyWench's parents and had no problems at all - which was a first for US/HP on that particular flight (639 - may as well be 666 as far as I'm concerned). I was amazed as the last four or five times I've been on it, it's been at least 45 minutes delayed leaving...

I checked tonight's flight and it was delayed arriving into PHX but amazingly, turned in only 22 minutes. That seems really quick - to deboard, cater/clean, and re-board. I guess it could have been an equipment swap too?

Anyway, thanks for the info - guess I can book it in the future and consider this an unlucky week.

Sean
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