Alchemy
Well-Known Member
You have an afternoon departure (1445 go) to a large hub in the Gotham area.
You check your company computer before leaving the hotel at the oustation, and notice that the flight shows a 3 hour ATC delay. As a result, you contact ops at the oustation, ask them if they've heard anything, and they confirm the delay. You notify your crew and decide to stay at the hotel an extra hour.
You show up at the airport about an hour after your original show time, at 1500. After reaching the aircraft and contacting ATC, they confirm what the computer system had indicated, giving you a 1735 EDCT.
You tell ops you'd like to board at 1640, a little early in case the time changes. They seem to think this is too early but they agree.
1640 rolls around and everyone is ready to board, but suddenly someone from ops comes up and says we are showing a 1845 EDCT now. You call ATC, but they say it's still 1735. Putting your trust in ATC, you tell ops to board anyway. Halfway into boarding, ATC calls and says the EDCT is now 1845 (2+ hours away).
How would you handle this? Finish boarding, block out, and make everyone sit there for 2 hours? Stop boarding halfway into it and deal with the confusion? Board, but don't block out and just sit there with the doors open? What if you decide to board, and 30 minutes into it people start wanting to deplane? What if you don't board, your EDCT time gets moved back to the original time and you can't make it?
If it matters, the flight is 1 hour long, about half full and gate availability at the oustation is not an issue. For the financially minded, your contract guarantees block or better.
You check your company computer before leaving the hotel at the oustation, and notice that the flight shows a 3 hour ATC delay. As a result, you contact ops at the oustation, ask them if they've heard anything, and they confirm the delay. You notify your crew and decide to stay at the hotel an extra hour.
You show up at the airport about an hour after your original show time, at 1500. After reaching the aircraft and contacting ATC, they confirm what the computer system had indicated, giving you a 1735 EDCT.
You tell ops you'd like to board at 1640, a little early in case the time changes. They seem to think this is too early but they agree.
1640 rolls around and everyone is ready to board, but suddenly someone from ops comes up and says we are showing a 1845 EDCT now. You call ATC, but they say it's still 1735. Putting your trust in ATC, you tell ops to board anyway. Halfway into boarding, ATC calls and says the EDCT is now 1845 (2+ hours away).
How would you handle this? Finish boarding, block out, and make everyone sit there for 2 hours? Stop boarding halfway into it and deal with the confusion? Board, but don't block out and just sit there with the doors open? What if you decide to board, and 30 minutes into it people start wanting to deplane? What if you don't board, your EDCT time gets moved back to the original time and you can't make it?
If it matters, the flight is 1 hour long, about half full and gate availability at the oustation is not an issue. For the financially minded, your contract guarantees block or better.