EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Weather; Procedure
Weather on long E175 flights. Flight Plans are built from pre-canned routes that are known and accepted by ATC (Air Traffic Control). They are filed hours prior to our departure giving a lot of time for wx (Weather) to build and change. Several times recently I have asked for new routing around very large thunderstorms. The filed plan goes directly through them. Rather than increasing deviation fuel; technically we need to re-file because the diversions are several hundred miles off the original filed route. This usually all takes place within 1 hour of departure. Several times it has taken over an hour for ATC to receive the new flight plan; even with Dispatch making several phone calls. It also causes an issue in [software] where you are unable to sign the revised flight plan/release and must submit a paper copy.Captains look at filed mid-con routes and wx as early as possible and ask for changes immediately if needed. Dispatch keeps an eye on mid-con wx as the flight approaches rather than sticking to the pre-canned routes. Together we can avoid fuel; clearance and other delay issues during these wx changes.
Air Carrier Captain makes recommendations regarding changes to flight plans due to weather.