[airhead]

Unfortunately, weather delays at large airports cause mass confusion. And you are right, if their was a system in place to make things easier, it would certainly be used. Problem is nobody (in any airline or any other infrastructure) has figured out how. If you figure it out you may become a billionaire fast.

We are capable of figuring out who has the tighter connections but it takes one person to go through everyones' reservations and that is one person per flight. If two people were to go through it then the possibility of mistakes doubles. If three people did it then it triples and so forth. Those employees are needed to help passengers standing in line rather in the back trying to figure this out. The mistakes happen while that person is going though your reservation "guessing" what it is you plan on doing. Are you going to take the next flight, rebook, or drive? Then we have to find you. And if we let people cut in line, a riot could erupt.

Meanwhile, upset passengers are standing in line wanting instructions. But the instructions have to be figured out before they are told. When it comes to weather, it is particularly difficult since it is unpredictable. And to top it, the dispatchers are trying to figure out how long a flight will be delayed, how much extra fuel it will need and how many passengers will be on board (for weight purposes). At the same time, passengers are making changes and that makes it next to impossible to figure out how many passengers will be on board. Thus the estimated time of delay is a further educated guess.

Can you see the problem?

As far as the bag charge, your reservation will have a record of whether it is paid or not and even if that was in question, you are given a receipt for payment and should use it so that you do not have to pay it again.

I know it is frustrating to go though lengthy delays. It is frustrating to be behind the counter too. We want you to get to where you want to go. We don't want you upset. Our workday is no fun when you are not happy.

I hope this gives you more insight to how an airline operations works.