[xjcaptain]

I wonder how all the other passengers (most likely around 100 minimum) managed to know when to get on the flight since NO announcements were made according to you. Must just have been telepathy. Or...perhaps it was because you were sitting by the gate for another flight, most likely another airlines flight, and didn't hear the announcements. The PA's made at the gate are local to that gate and not terminal wide. I'd chock this up to a learning experience that one needs to be close to their OWN gate, especially when the departure times are changing. They certainly don't have the staffing or time to go to every gate in the airport, and check with each person individually to make sure they are not going on their flight. As far as missing passengers...it happens nearly every flight. People check in from home and get stuck in traffic, flat tires, delayed in security, pass out at the bar...you name it. Millions of reasons why somebody is checked in but doesn't show at the gate. If airlines waited for every one of these, I can assure you it would be rare for a flight to leave the airport...then you'd be complaining it was late. I'm sure it was a very bad experience considering the financial and medical issues, but I have a hard time believing that the airline shoulders the blame on this one...