From: utzoo!utcsrgv!utcsstat!wagner Newsgroups: net.aviation Title: Re: On-ground holds for ATC Article-I.D.: utcsstat.302 Posted: Fri Aug 13 19:38:58 1982 Received: Fri Aug 13 21:28:47 1982 References: genradbo.428 I also experienced an on-ground hold - in my case, for ATC at the destination of the flight. Since I had to make a connection there, I was a little concerned. But I did have 45 minutes to make the connection, and the hold was only for 15 minutes. Well, to make a long story short, we were held for an hour. ATC kept us in LA to relieve a congestion problem at Ohare, but the congestion problem couldnt have been all that bad - they let the Chicago-Toronto connecting flight out right on time. So I spent the night in Ohare. Only partly paid for by the airline, by the way. 2 Questions: 1) Why is congestion less of a problem for the landing plane than the plane taking off? Or was the congestion problem on the ground? Incidentally, it wasnt just a few people making the connection - about 30 of us. 2) The airline found me a sheet of paper claiming that they are no longer liable for the cost of puttingme up if ATC made them do it. Do anyone know if this is for real or not? How do I check that ATC really did it to me? I have only the airlines say so - and it is clearly in their best interests to say so. And if so, how do I express to ATC my feelings about their being unable to handle regularly scheduled flights? I dont mind them cutting down their comittments because Reagan gave it to them in the ear, but I do resent the airlines not being able to come through on their comittment to get me home for essentially predictable load reasons. From the point of view of the user (me), ATC is part of the transportation (like the works department for a road), and if the bus company and the repair department cant co-ordinate their schedules with repairs, I think I have a right to complain. What do other people think? Michael Wagner, UTCS