[PHXFlyer]

Originally Posted by DRHHUB

I know this drives regular members crazy, but I don't have flight numbers or times. This is just a general question about operations. I was on a flight last year Chicago O'Hare to Knoxville. Weather from the east was terrible. Inbound flights were getting delayed/canceled. I was stuck in O'Hare for an eight hour delay before my flight was canceled.

Here's my rub. On two different occasions, we were told that our flight # to Knoxville had arrived and we would be boarding as soon as the plane was serviced, but the gate # had changed. We would go to the new gate. Passengers were coming out of the gate. We knew there was a plane there ready to fly. Then, we would be told that our flight was delayed. Then, to really get us steaming, they would call another flight to start boarding onto the plane that was supposed to be taking us to Knoxville.

There were only about 20 people on our flight. Am I wrong to assume that someone made the decision to give "my" plane to a flight with more passengers? That's what I was thinking. I don't have a problem with that from a business standpoint. Better to disappoint 20 passengers as 60.

My questions:

1) Who makes the decision on which flights go? I know ATC has final say as to who lands and takes off. But, does ATC say "United to Knoxville" can fly, or do they say "United can have one flight"?

ATC dictates how many takeoffs/landings can occur at an airport. If that number is less than what was planned for a particular airline it is then up to each airline's OPS department to decide which flights go and which are canceled.

2) Why page customers to the gate and get their hopes up only to "delay" them again?

It often is an ever changing situation when weather is involved. Sometimes a flight that looks like it will go will end up being delayed or canceled as the situation progresses. ATC tells the airline what to expect as far as how many slots will be cut due to weather. The airline then makes the final decision as to go or no-go.

3) If I was on the last flight out to Knoxville and beat the first flight there the next morning, how did my bags get there before I did?

Sometimes if a flight is canceled another plane can carry the bags from both. Not everyone checks bags so if there are 200 people flying to a destination and only 50 have checked bags your bag may make it on an earlier flight even if you don't.

My buddy and I decided to drive home instead of waiting for the next mornings flight that was not guaranteed (standy). Our bags beat us to the airport. I will say United was pretty good to us. They refunded the unused portion of the flight (without a fight) and sent me 2 - $100 vouchers which I never used.[/quote]