For sure. How Ground Delay Programs work - ATC determines an arrival rate for the airport based on weather/winds and staffing. ATC software then issues EDCTs (Estimated Departure Corrected Time) to spread out the scheduled arrivals so that the arrival load doesn’t exceed the rate. Airlines can then trade wheels up slots with other flights by their own airline. International flights are given priority, hub to hub and widebody domestic flights usually get next priority, and crew time critical situations can also be moved up. Regional flights usually get pissed on the most for delays (smaller aircraft, less revenue, etc). But yes, there can be a fair amount of trading and negotiating for a flight’s EDCT.
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Don’t forget about JetBlue!!!
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Tough scene being back of the bus.
Tough not to have any overhead stowage bin space left.
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I put NLU stickers on my suitcase and it came out very quickly at LHR. Really hope there’s a correlation.
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Interesting news for my local airport. I’m sure behind the scenes there are systems that need updating, I just hope they don’t take away from the passenger experience of being able to arrive 20-30 mins before departure and comfortably get to the gate in time. I get the desire for more luxuries and comforts in the terminal, but the biggest reason anyone flies out of GSO is for convenience and not needing to spend time waiting around. Perhaps with the proposed updates we’ll get more nonstop flight options.
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Am seriously considering upgrading to premium economy for return leg.
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you deserve it 
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LGW to YVR is 10 hours. Need to do a cost benefit analysis.
Seats were fine. No overhead bin access annoyed me more than the seats themselves.
The real reason premium economy is worth it. The earlier boarding group ensuring overhead bin space.
Regarding that debate, I have a 40L Osprey backpack in lieu of a rolling bag. Small enough to not be ridiculous as a backpack while also being just big enough that it doesn’t fit at your feet. Nobody, passenger or crew, has ever given me any stink eye for putting it up top.
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Don’t know about other airlines, but with United, if you just get their credit card, you’re never lower than group 2, and there’s always space. You don’t even need to buy the flight with it. I believe there is a fee, but if you fly a handful of times per year, it’s probably worth it. You do need to use it to buy the flight for the free checked bag.
But here’s a trick: You can buy basic economy, which makes you check a roll-aboard that would otherwise fit overhead. But since you’re boarding with group 2, you can still use the overhead bin without paying.
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Oh I have the Quest and the Explorer (downgrading this one soon though). I have never realized i could finagle the system this way, but honestly the idea of potentially sitting in a middle seat due to basic economy is enough to scare me away.
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Can confirm this was not a thing for the flight this morning however…. New one for me. Got bumped from first because the seat I had was broken. I don’t care but they were stressing about rearranging the plane to keep me seated there. I had to remind him it’s a 50 minute flight and Im not going to be an asshole.
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You’re the outlier in first class, I’ve seen some really angry people about very small inconveniences
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Props to Tron’s Pope guy. He called it.
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