"The question is, how come the first flights of the day regularly, almost routinely, take off 20mins+ late when the aircraft were there overnight and the check-in desks close in plenty of time?
ie today, 6.05 AMS left 6.30
6.20 Palma left 6.43
625 CDG left 6.46"
Hi there.
The Amsterdam aircraft would usually get a slot as It's competing for a landing slot with many trans-atlantics aswell as EGPD/PH/PF/NM/CC/NV/CN flights flying into Amsterdam all wanting to land at the same time. Amsterdam tend not to do en-route holding like London do, so they hold aircraft on the ground until such a time they'll be able to fly to Amsterdam with no en-route holding, saving fuel etc.etc.
The Palma would most likely to be caught out in one of 2 London Air Traffic control restrictions - one being Daventry southbound which is sat from Manchester and Oxford FL195+) and if the the inbound Oceanic tracks are northerly then traffic inbound the London area need to be integrated with aircraft from Scotland, NT,CC, GP, AA, AC etc. all wanting to leave the UK via the South coast.
The second restriction will more than likely be London Upper sector restriction as this is basically one great bit roundabout in the sky over London, where UK departures mix with transatlantics inbound to LFPG, EHAM, EBBR, Germany etc. so regulating the flow prevents overloads in that sector.
CDG will be more than likely a combination of either Daventry south bound restriction and like Amsterdam, arrival restrictions into Paris, preventing a flood of aircraft all turning up only to hold until their place in the queue.
Hope this helps
