Just returned from a 2-day trip to CA, where on my flight out from chicago yesterday, the plane was delayed for nearly 2 hours because the pilot called in sick and they had to wait to get one off of an incoming flight to fly us out to Orange County. Then, returning today, we were again nearly 2 hours late because they had to wait for the pilot to arrive on a "ferry flight" from LA. What's up with this? Missing pilots 2 days in a row? Is United running out of pilots?

The reason is: people don't tip the pilots enough.

;-) ;-) ;-)

If you had asked the gate personnel nicely, they might have given you a free upgrade to cockpit and you could have flown the plane.

Gail, I hope you were joking. Don't you know that the airlines only give cockpit upgrades to medallion-level frequent flyers?

I'm pretty sure the problem is that the pilots were being double-booked on both USAir and UA flights and get caught in mid-cellular-reintegration while being beamed down from the USAir flight and back up to the UA flight. That's why one of them got sick -- it was a cold-share.

If you're in an airport that is not a base for the carrier in the event a pilot becomes ill, unfortunately there's nothing to be done but fly in another one. Also, not sure if this is true but I heard that United is having mass retirements, particularly in its pilots due to their troubles.