[renteria01]

Today, I took my sister to the airport thinking it was not going to be so bad. I was wrong, we got there two hours early and she still missed her flight because Delta took forever loading everyone in. To make things worst the people were rude to my sister. They even threatened her. THat is crazy. I used to fly delta all the time but i'm never doing it again. not after seeing that.

[pattis]

Does not matter if you get there 5 hours early, it's what you do when you get there. It took Delta forever to load the flight?????? What is that supposed to mean? If your sis had checked in and gotten thru security in a timely matter she would not have missed the flight. People check in way ahead of time and then go sit in a bar for 2 hours and miss the flight. I am not implying that your sister was sitting in a bar, but its not that difficult to make your flight in any airport if you arrive there 2 hours prior.

[sonyb]

I would argue to that point. In My recent Travel, we reached the gate 12 mins before departure, and since the flight was over booked my seats were given to some other passengers. There wasnt even any calls made for my name or for that matter any customer's names. All they can do is make the calls which they are suppose to in the first place. Also I can believe that If I dont reach in time they should let the seats be empty after all I have paid for them. Why do they fill it up with others and close the Gate before the departure time since the Flight is packed with people and make people who actually have seat assignments miss the flight.

[gymjock]

With the way air travel is today, one should know that you must be at the designated gate at least 30 minutes prior to departure. In fact most airlines start boarding 30 - 40 minutes prior to departure so one should be at the gate at that time.

I am not defending the airlines but with cut backs and reduction of flights, we need to understand the stress of boarding a flight when passengers are late.

[ChrisH]

Flights are closed 10 minutes prior to departure time, because if they continued allowing the passengers to board, until the departure time, the flights would never leave on time. The pilots have to have a final passenger, and bag count, and do a weight and balance, to make sure the aircraft is within weight and balance limitations. This can take 5-10 minutes, and they have to re-do it, everytime you add another passenger, or bag, so there has to be a cut off to allow this, and to also allow the flight to be out, on time. It is clearly stated at airports that you should be within the gate area no later than 30 minutes prior to departure, and, you should be onboard the aircraft no later than 10 minutes prior to departure. At some airports, it may even be 15 minutes prior to departure. If you are not on the aircraft by that time, your seats are given away to standby passengers.

The airlines are not required to call you out by name. Passengers are responsible for being there, for their flight. Boarding calls are made, but names do not have to be called, specifically. I find it hypocritical that passengers complain about flight delays, when the plane leaves late, but passengers think they can be late for their flights, and expect the airline to wait for them. Not going to happen. Printed on tickets, is the departure time of the flight, and, the boarding time. If someone cannot get to their flight, on time, that is on them, not the airline, or the gate agent. I personally wait until 10 minuts prior to departure, and if someone doesn't show up, too bad, I give there seat away. I'm not trying to be mean, but if I wait for them, and the flight goes out late, then I get into trouble, about why the flight was late.