B737 in holding for ord is frustrated regarding currency and content of ATIS information.

Attributes
ACN	619202
Time
Date	200405
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	619202
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

Holding at bdf. We requested an update of ord ATIS, it came at XA56Z. We are now holding looking at thunderstorms over ord and wondering why they are not mentioned in the ATIS. No mention of thunderstorms northeast of the field on ATIS or the previous information. The ATIS had the wrong time, but it did mention watch out for birds, a useless piece of information. We had been following the ATIS reports for 2 hours prior to our arrival at bdf and then being told to hold. No mention of thunderstorms in the area. Yet when we asked for an ord WX update through the ACARS, there were reports of thunderstorms in the area. ATIS needs to be all inclusive of any WX reports affecting ord. The pilot should not have to hunt them down. If there is not enough room in the ATIS entry format, please prioritize thunderstorms over bird warnings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 IN HOLDING FOR ORD IS FRUSTRATED REGARDING CURRENCY AND CONTENT OF ATIS INFO.

Narrative: HOLDING AT BDF. WE REQUESTED AN UPDATE OF ORD ATIS, IT CAME AT XA56Z. WE ARE NOW HOLDING LOOKING AT TSTMS OVER ORD AND WONDERING WHY THEY ARE NOT MENTIONED IN THE ATIS. NO MENTION OF TSTMS NE OF THE FIELD ON ATIS OR THE PREVIOUS INFO. THE ATIS HAD THE WRONG TIME, BUT IT DID MENTION WATCH OUT FOR BIRDS, A USELESS PIECE OF INFO. WE HAD BEEN FOLLOWING THE ATIS RPTS FOR 2 HRS PRIOR TO OUR ARR AT BDF AND THEN BEING TOLD TO HOLD. NO MENTION OF TSTMS IN THE AREA. YET WHEN WE ASKED FOR AN ORD WX UPDATE THROUGH THE ACARS, THERE WERE RPTS OF TSTMS IN THE AREA. ATIS NEEDS TO BE ALL INCLUSIVE OF ANY WX RPTS AFFECTING ORD. THE PLT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HUNT THEM DOWN. IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM IN THE ATIS ENTRY FORMAT, PLEASE PRIORITIZE TSTMS OVER BIRD WARNINGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.