I was looking at the Airport Diagram for KORD and noticed there is an area labled "Penalty Box" along taxiway B. It's next to the approach end of runway 4L. Does anybody know what it's for and when is it used?Just curious.Thanks,John

I believe it's simply a holding area where ground controllers can put a plane when there are no gates are available at the terminal.John

Maybe, if they're having a game of air hockey (as in pilots in aircraft playing a version of hockey in the air), they need to land at KORD and stop there to serve their penalty, then takeoff and rejoin the game.....Sorry, had to do that... :( Don't really know what a "penalty box" at an airport would be for, but would be interested to find out.... :(edit: Ahhh, posted just while I was typing mine.... :-lol

Or perhaps also a spot where you can bide your time out of the way of ground traffic while departure is delayed (weather, traffic, etc.).http://www.airliners.net/open.file/253512/M/Kevin

Yep,your exactly right. Been there - Done that. :-)Regards,Ed Weber a.k.a. Capn Tall

If an airline can push the flight back from the gate on time even though it does not get off the ground, they get credit for an "On Time" departure. I have sat several times in DFW's box when the skies were clear overhead but there were T/S between us and ABQ. Sitting for 20 to 30 minutes on the ground insures a

I know the ORD penalty box well. When I moved from SFO to Phoenix, I moved from a city with frequent departure delays to a city with few. So my flights into ORD tended to arrive a bit early. Usually before the pilot even made the announcement, I would know when I saw the aircraft reverse direction away from the terminal that it was time again for the penalty box. Our office travel agent was infamous for booking the legal minimum connection time, and there is nothing more agonizing than being in ORD's penalty box when you know you have only a short time to make the run between gates... Glad I haven't had to fly through ORD in several years....-John

what's even better at ORD is doing "laps" on A (moving clockwise) and B (moving counterclockwise). nobody handle traffic better than the OHare ground guys/gals. they simply are the best.

I haven't had to do that, thank goodness. Hope they swap between the clockwise and counter-clockwise circuits, so the pax don't getdizzy :)