Hey Shawn- Glad you enjoyed your flight on Comair. It is nice to hear of a good experience rather than the usual complaints about our CRJs. I can't find the thread that asked the question about leaving early but I can tell you why it might be a regulatory issue and the policy at Comair, which is detailed in our Ops Manual. A flight can push back 10 minutes early without permission from dispatch. Anything earlier than that requires an amended dispatch release. The primary reason for this is that the legality of departure, including destination weather and the need for an alternate, are based on ETA of the flight on the day of operation (not the AOG sked). I have planed a full flight to the minute so as to not need an alternate when the weather was OK and there was no real possibility that the flight might divert. In fact I have delayed a flight for 25 minutes for the same reason so we didn't have to deny boarding to any pax. Secondary to legality is that we don't want to leave anybody behind. The normal limit we use for an early departure is 20 minutes. If an unticketed passenger hasn't shown up 20 prior the chance of them making the flight is slim to none at most airports. If there are ticketed pax that are not accounted for we wait. I usually plan lightly booked flights back to the hub 20 early just to save the phone from call from the crew and the paperwork. The crews are just as keen to get back as the pax are happy to arrive early. BTW my early release is always conditioned on all booked and listed non-rev pax being onboard. If it is not preplanned the crew just has to call to get an amendment for an early departure. I can't remember a time that I had to say "No". I do hope the FA gave you and the other passenger a real safety briefing on your flight to CHS. Cheers- Tom Lead Dispatcher Comair CVG Shawn P. Stokes wrote: > In November of 03 I flew DL (Comair) from DCA to CHS to inspect a fire truck > being built and cashed in miles to save the department some money and allow > me the convenience of flying from DCA. When they went to board the RJ one > woman got up in front of me and when I went to enter the jetway I looked > behind me and.....no one. I looked at the agent and said "light load" and > he was like, yea, the two of you. > > The stewardess met me and the woman at the door, told us we were it, told > the flight crew we were it and on, closed the door, looked at her and I said > you guys know the routine, we both said yep, she locked down and off we went > 20 early from DCA. > > Other then she didn't have anything else to serve us other then drinks and > cookies the service was first class :) > > FlyI use to do this too...I was on a PIT-IAD flights a couple of times and > while some of their flights were always full the last flight out of PIT > seemed to have all of 6 or 8 people on it the times I flew it. Once we were > on it was close the door and we were off. > > Shawn > > > Yoi! and Double Yoi!, We're going to Detroit!!!!! > HERE WE GO PITTSBURGH HERE WE GO! > > > -----Original Message----- > From: The Airline List [mailto:AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of > Bryant Petitt > Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 6:22 PM > To: AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: Re: your mail > > ...I have taken international flights where we left a > half-hour early as I recall. Also, if all the PAX > booked for the flight are onboard, why not? > > Bryant Petitt > Cumming, GA > > --- David MR <damiross3@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > >> Why would there be an FAA reg regarding leaving >> early? FAA deals with safety; leaving early is not >> a safety issue but a business decision. >> David R >> >> -------------- Original message -------------- >> From: Tyler Munoz >> <Tyler.Munoz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> >> >> >>> On my US Airways Shuttle flight BOS-LGA yesterday >>> >> morning we pushed back >> >>> 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time and >>> >> were off the ground >> >>> shortly after our quick taxi to runway 9. I've >>> >> seen them close the >> >>> aircraft door a few minutes early on flights >>> >> before, and I have even >> >>> seen them leaving a few minutes early before. This >>> >> just seemed to be an >> >>> extreme case, and with 40 shuttle trips to LGA >>> >> last year, I have never >> >>> experienced it. Does anyone know if there is any >>> >> sort of FAA regulation >> >>> regarding this out there? I did a Google search, >>> >> but didn't uncover >> >>> anything. >>> > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > > >