[cuntinental]

Most ridiculous reasons for Continental Flight to delay is Pilot is tired and sleeping, Flight will start once pilot wakes up. How long is the delay depend on the pilot's length of sleep. Passengers are not given any refund or alternate travel arrangement like booking in earlier departure flight. There were two flights departed prior to this original crippled airplane but no arrangement made by airline or gate agent. Please try to keep continental as your last OPTION for air travel. If your travel plan is very flexible and not bothered about reaching alive or dead try flying continental. This Airline sucks with flight service with broken airplanes and sick pilots.

[Gromit801]

Have any flight numbers or dates?

[Corbel]

this sounds like it may have been a crew rest issue.

[Gromit801]

FAA mandates a maximum number of hours any crew can fly in a 24 hour period. Upon reaching that number, the crew MUST be taken off flight status, often this happens prior to a flight, and the new crew is there in time to pick up where the old crew left off. In the railroad we called it "dead on hours." Usually company dispatch is on top of it, but sometimes they slip up.

[fluffybunny]

Originally Posted by Gromit801

FAA mandates a maximum number of hours any crew can fly in a 24 hour period. Upon reaching that number, the crew MUST be taken off flight status, often this happens prior to a flight, and the new crew is there in time to pick up where the old crew left off. In the railroad we called it "dead on hours." Usually company dispatch is on top of it, but sometimes they slip up.

Yes, there are many factors to consider. Often it isn't a matter of how many hours flown in a day but rather did they experience delays and extend their duty period? they are still required to get the same amount of rest which results in a later "show" time of the next duty period.

I have personally seen gate agents use that line to deflect passengers' anger to the crew and off of them. If the crew is staying on that flight, the coordinators will know instantly when they finish the prior day's work what the show time will be.

Agents often don't like these factors messing with their flow--most obviously because it angers people.

would you want a tired, sleepy pilot? as it is, they can be reduced to 8 hours off-duty (and that includes getting from the airplane to the hotel and back to the airplane).

Ever time how long it takes to get to a car/shuttle and get checked in to a hotel and back? They may fly 8 hours, have been on duty for 16 hours and get less than 6 hours in a bed before doing it again.

Cut them some slack. Get informed. Say thank you to them when you leave the aircraft for caring for yours and every other person's life as if it was their own family.