I'll take a shot at this.
Anyone who has flown more then a few times probably has gone through the normal ATC weather related delays in the air or airport. As a liveatc.net listener I've heard some of the communication invloved when ATC informs pilots of airway closures and as a passenger I've been on the hard luck end of that deal too!
My general question is how is that information disseminated down the proper channels to all that need to know. Some more specific questions:
*Who has the authority to close down a airway, departure point etc....
This would come down to the local controller/CIC at the local field. As the local controller owns the (active) runways and taxiways between the active runways[1], it would be their decision to change runway configurations and/or close a given runway.
*Who does that information go to (airlines/tower/tracon/dispatch etc...) and how
Those working the TRACON will have a better idea, but from what I saw at the NorCal TRACON, it goes from the local/tower controller to the TRACON (TMU, to be specific) for traffic management. Tower has to change the active runways, and the TRACON has to change the traffic and sequence of that traffic to the active runways. This could mean reallocation of the airspace. For example, KLAS has 6 (5 actual, 1 reserved for other use) runway configurations and airspace allocations for each configuration. When a runway config change occurs, the entire airspace is moved around.
I don't think the airlines get that info (I'm pretty sure I'm wrong here), but it does throw a spanner in the works as far as PDC goes, especially if a SID is runway specific.
*How are ATC delays figured out...ie 1 1/2 hour, 30 min etc...
This is figured out by TMU, Metering, and the controller responsible for Flow control That can be at the local, TRACON, or national airspace level (at least in the US). how long it is, is a good question. too many factors come in, such as active runways, number of operations per runway, amount of traffic, etc.
BL.
[1] If a runway is closed, the Ground controller owns the runway. For example, according to the ATIS at KLAS currently (5/1/2008, 1856Z), they are in configuration #3 (landing 1L, 1R, and 25L, departing 1L/R). In this setup, 25R is closed, so Tower will own 25L and taxiway A (between 25L/R). Ground owns 25R.
At JFK, if the 31s are in use, you'll notice the queue of planes on the 22s. Ground should own the 22s, but I might be wrong here as I'm not familiar with SOPs there.