AA 1257 DCA ORD, today. Push back right on time. I knew storms were just outside the beltway, but things were looking good. “Flight attendants prepare for takeoff.” Delta MD80 blasts off beside of us. I spot the windsock and notice there’s a pretty stiff tailwind. This doesn’t bode well for an AA MD82/3 off of a 6,800 ft runway. Invalid request error occurred. We taxi to the side… Captain announces we are waiting for the storm to come through…. and we wait, and we wait some more.

Finally, taxi to the other end of the airfield after the storm blows through and take the active…. throttles up…. takeoff aborted. Back to the gate for an “indicator light.” Maintenance adjusts in minutes…. wait a little more…. finally, we take off. None of this would matter, were it not for our 5PM connection to Rome and the vacation we’ve been planning since April 2009.

Block into the ORD gate at 4:37pm…. still a hope…. (in my mind at least). Agent announces our names and to meet them at the counter. No dice…we are too late. Could’ve made the flight, but it doesn’t matter. Been rebooked ORD-LHR-FCO…. still in Biz all the way, even the BA leg from LHR to FCO. Could’ve been worse, but still….  We COULD have made that flight.

Thanks for listening. I just felt like venting.