Basically every operator has its own set of minimum ground times/minimum turn times per aircraft.. Let's say, you are dispatching an aircraft with a minimum turn time of 30 minutes. STD is 1715. But the aircraft is onblocks at 1650. So your aircraft has to push by 1720. Anything after 1720 then has to be accounted for by dispatcher/crew. So you'd have your 5 minutes of 93 and then whatever other codes on top too. Might be slot, PRMs, catering, fuel etc. The code(s) are usually discussed between the dispatcher and the captain, with the dispatcher aiming to seek any additional delay reasons prior to doors closing.
I often find the crew are very switched on with regards to any extra delays incurred, but sometimes don't have the full picture with what goes on inside the terminal. For example, at small airports like mine without common-user gates/systems, the airline may only supply 2 gate computers for boarding reconciliation and may schedule 2 flights to depart at the same time. Not a problem as there are 2 gate computers for that airline. If a third flight from that airline has a delayed inbound flight and you now have to get 3 aircraft turned around but only 2 gate computers available, the captain more often than not will just see that as "late boarding DL15" to the third flight as they rarely have information on how their airline equips the terminal/gate area. Whereas the dispatcher would suggest perhaps "DL87 Airport Facilities/Gate Space" or DL06 "No gate space available due to own airline activity" as they have further information available than the crew.
With regards to just being 'slow', I usually see there being reasons to why a certain area was 'slow'. Perhaps the cabin tidy wasn't completed within the allotted period or baggage onload started late because the ramp staff also deal with WCHC passengers or perhaps the Captain requested a toilet service or water service, which means you now have to allocate one or two people elsewhere at short notice. But admittedly there are days when you have to offload and onload 300 bags total within 25 minutes on the last flight of the day when the ramp agents have cramp and are tired (no airlines mentioned there =) and it is just slow, but you just have to be honest and say so to the crew if it goes late.
The crew I see on a day-to-day basis over various airlines are all very friendly, switched on and amiable and as long as treated with respect, will treat me the same in return. Also a shared passion for aviation does help!
It's worth noting that STA/ATA and STD/ATD refer to onblocks and offblocks, rather than land and airborne times in most places.
Last edited by Scinfaxi; 15th Sep 2018 at 04:32.
Reason: Additional info