Chicago - Tampa: The Role of Status and Playing the Odds on a Connection

An infrequent traveler won't even finish reading this because they simply won't be able to identify with the issue.  This doesn't mean they are dumb at all.

But the folks who are on jets every day know certain things:

1) Fly as early in the day as you can
2) NEVER trust a hub and spoke carrier's "estimated time of departure"

So I'm at O'Hare and it looks like ATL is going into a ground stop due to weather.  This means the airplane that is supposed to PICK ME UP at ORD is taking a delay as no departures are being permitted.

The delay builds.

I'm in the Sky Club looking at this and ask the agent to stand me by for an earlier departure at 6 PM.  The agent says it looks good that I will clear. I'm #1 on the list.

The delay builds.

But they release the flight into ORD and now it's gonna be close.  Meaning, by the time they get the flight turned around at ORD and sent back to ATL it's going to be a close connection.

I clear the list and take the 6 pm to ATL, which guarantees I'll make the connection.  Once in ATL I look and see that the flight I was supposed to be on is now ground stopped in ORD as apparently there are cells on the arrival into ATL.

What does all this mean?  You MUST be able to hunt down the info, digest it, and NOT be lulled into complacency thinking that you are gonna make a connection.  ALWAYS GO EARLIER even if it means you give up a first class seat and take a middle seat in coach (exactly what I did)

It takes experience and resources to do this.

The resource is http://www.fly.faa.gov/ois/

Baltimore is next.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1977/history/20140509/2300Z/KORD/KATL

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1977/history/20140509/2300Z/KORD/KATL