Two Hours On The Tarmac at ORD

Sorry for the gripe, but...

2/1/04 United Express (Air Wisconsin) 5839 CWA-ORD aboard a CRJ:

After a smooth and uneventful 41 minute flight, we touch down at ORD. Captain
announces "a slight delay to the gate due to a problem in "F" terminal". He
permits us to use our cell phones while we are on the tarmac waiting for our
gate, and turns off the seat belt light so people can use the lavatory.

About a half hour later, the captain tells us a story about ground crew having
to remove a bag from a plane that hadn't boarded a passenger from a connecting
flight.

Another half hour later, he turns on the seat belt sign and tells us the plane
with the baggage removal was closing its doors and we were heading for the
gate.

Twenty minutes later, a fellow passenger comments that the plane must have had
a really big door. We still hadn't moved.

Ten minutes later, the captain proclaims "Hallelujah, we're going to our gate!"

Good thing we weren't connecting. I felt bad for my fellow passengers who
missed their connections.

Forty minute wait for bags.

Two hour wait on the ground after a mere 41 minute flight.

Does it take more than a half an hour to find a bag belonging to a connecting
passenger who didn't board the plane?

Is O'Hare getting too crowded? Should it be expanded, as "King Daley" and his
minions so desperately want to do? The FAA ordered United and American to cut
5% of their flights out of ORD between 1:00pm and 7:00pm. Why would the
airlines schedule more flights inbound and outbound than it had gates to
accomodate them?

Why did this pilot mislead his passengers? Why couldn't he have just said,
"Hey, it's Super Bowl Sunday, and most of the ground crew decided to call in
sick, and there aren't enough ground crew to get us into a gate."?

We later found out that this was the true story. Seems like there was a huge
shortage of ground personnel Sunday night.

Because we waited two hours to get to a gate, does the FAA recognize this as a
"delayed" flight? Or do they just use the actual time of landing and not count
the hold on the tarmac? I thought "departure" was defined as the cabin door
closing, and arrival was defined as the cabin door opening.

On the plus side, my car, parked in the O'Hare garage, wouldn't start due to a
low battery. I called for assistance and was on my way within a half hour.
That was good service!