airlines and changing schedules

[imgoingtodisney]

When do the airlines (Delta) finish rearranging their flight schedules? Ours have already been changed 3 times now! Once on the way down, actually we get to sleep (ya right) 1/2hr later.
But they changed our sched twice already on the way home. Now we dont fly home until 715pm!
When do the airlines stop changing their flight schedules? I know things can always change until we step foot on the plane and even then. But as a "rule" when are they usually finished? We fly in 34 days!

 

[lsmac]

American has changed our flight times and flight numbers 3 times! They keep having to send me new e tickets! Ya think they would get a more efficient system! Well, like you said, until we get on the plane, guess we need to expect changes...
Only 41 days left!

 

[mcnuss]

They will tinker with the schedule up until a few days before. It is all dependent on load factors, etc... Alot of the time, the change is because they are changing out the equipment, other times it's because of the flight that your flight becomes. It is the most complex situation you can possibly imagine. This is why I rarely purchase tickets more than 90 days out. It's also one of the reasons why, for a cruise, I have to leave the day before.

FYI - my US Airways return has changed 2 or 3 times now. I am on a free ticket so I am trying to be patient but it is hard! If you are a planner, it can drive you wild.