Delta says this was a violation of there safety precations

[Wenlitz]

Ok here is the full and embarrasing details of our missed plane.
We were flying out of Wichita Kansas. We always get to the airport a couple hours early. This time we didnt. Now let me say we havent ever waited in the lines and everything has always been very quik and efficient.
We went to the counter to check our luggage and the guy says you missed your flight and I said it dosnt even leave for 30 more minutes. He said well heres your boarding pass and sent us on our way. The security check was a mile long and one person checking boarding passes before you could get to the actual security area.
Now before everyone flames me I know we should of gotten there earlier and we feel rotten but guess we learned our lesson. Our airport isnt like Kansas City or a bigger city. To fly out the next day we would of had to pay 500.00 for each of us a new ticket. The upside to this long story is that WDW helped us reschedule with our package in tact for only 60.00. June 29th was the soonest we could get reservations as they were just full. The lady I spoke with over the phone at Delta was very very nice and helped us get rebooked for a difference of 66.00. The lady that helped me at Delta Airlines said that our luggage being sent on without us on the plane was a violation and against all there safety rules and regulations. Get to the airport a couple of hours early no matter how little your airport!!! Ok thats the story. We are looking forward to our new plans and will be arriving at the airport very very early.

 

[Lewisc]

It might be against Delta policy but it's not against federal regulations. All luggage, checked and carry on, has to be checked. Either by machine or by hand. The rule requiring all luggage go on the same flight as the passenger was repealed when the 100% screening rule was implemented. Airlines don't have to pull luggage if passengers miss the plane.

Passengers who standby for an earlier flight, miss their flight or get "bumped" can expect their luggage to go on the flight it's tagged for. I've flown standby on SW and was told my checked luggage would be on the flight even if I didn't clear.

I'm surprised Delta even checked your baggage. Some airlines stop checking luggage 30 minutes before your flight. You either need carryon luggage or might be able to gate check your bags.

Some airlines stop boarding 5 or 10 minutes before the departure time. You were cutting it very close even if security had a normal line.

The lady that helped me at Delta Airlines said that our luggage being sent on without us on the plane was a violation and against all there safety rules and regulations. Get to the airport a couple of hours early no matter how little your airport!!! Ok thats the story. We are looking forward to our new plans and will be arriving at the airport very very early.

 

[ReggieB]

On international flights if someone checks bags, but doesn't make the flight or any portion/leg of the flight..the bags have to be pulled off. Don't know if that's a federal regulation or what, but no passenger, no bags. That's how the plane that went down over Scotland was felled, the passengers who had checked the bags didn't stay on the flight.

 

[Disneyjosh229]

Im not sure about Delta, but on NWA, if you are running close, they will mark your luggage stand-by and wait and see if you make the aircraft.

 

[malibuconlee]

When we went in 2003 our luggage went on different flights than us. It was a nightmare We were living in Pierre, SD. Two flights in, two flights out on each of two airlines each day.

Someone left an electronic piece of equipment on on the plane overnight. We were on the 7 am or something like that flight. The next one was at 3 and it was full since it was hunting season. We had to connect and were doing a dessert party at Epcot that evening that we'd already paid for with a group from another board.

We finally talked to the guy at the ticket counter, and he said if we hauled butt we might make a flight in Rapid City and connect and arrive around 5 or 6. (Dont' remember exact times)

We FLEW across the state. It's usually a 2.5 hour drive, and we made it in less than that. They really didn't want to let us on the plane, and the NW people & security people in Rapid were really rude about it. THey security flagged us for changing our flight plans. Really annoying as it was all NW's fault. (they had also changed the flight times since I originally made my ressies)

When we got to Minneapolis, we had to go and change our return flights into Rapid City as well, since our truck was in the parking lot.

But they put our luggage on the afternoon fight out of Pierre so we didn't have to deal with trying to get the luggage on. It got delivered to our room the next day. Good thing I had packed cothes for the next day in my carry-on.

 

[AllyBri]

I'm surprised Delta even checked your baggage. Some airlines stop checking luggage 30 minutes before your flight. You either need carryon luggage or might be able to gate check your bags.

Some airlines stop boarding 5 or 10 minutes before the departure time. You were cutting it very close even if security had a normal line.[/QUOTE]


This is what surprises me, I can't believe they even accepted their luggage.

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

You sure are lucky they accepted your luggage. Delta's policy is
"For domestic flights within the 50 U.S., passengers are required to check bags at least 30 minutes before departure (45 minutes for Las Vegas and Denver) and be checked in and at the gate at least 15 minutes before departure."
International
"For travel to/from Africa, Asia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Central America, Europe, India, Latin America, Mexico, and South America (and all other points outside the 50 U.S. States and the District of Columbia), passengers must be checked in at least 60 minutes before scheduled departure and be at the departure gate and available for boarding at least 45 minutes before departure."

 

[Lewisc]

You sure are lucky they accepted your luggage.

It sounds like the checked their bags exactly 30 minutes before departure but I'm not sure I'd call them lucky. The bags made it to MCO but they didn't.

 

[CarolA]

Your luggage can go under some circumstances. You hit one of them LOL! They knew where you were and just assumed you would fly standby.

There really is minimal risk now that all luggage is xrayed or hand searched. Prior to that they were matching. (They still match on international flights)..

 

[SamSam]

We often fly out of Wichita and it IS a very small airport, so I can understand you not arriving too early. We once had an early morning flight (7 AM) and arrived 1 hour early only to find that there was no one at check-in until 30 minutes before the flight! Still....we usually try to arrive at least an hour early.....just in case. At larger airports we try to arrive at least 1 1/2 before our flight, but at some smaller airports it's just not necessary.

 

[UNCCLaw]

I can not over-emphasize the importance of getting to the airport early. I travel for often for work (twice this week already) and sometimes the check-in/security process is very quick. In those instances, I kick myself for getting to the airport so early. Other times, I give myself plenty of time, only to have the process take so long that so much lead time is a savior.

I have also had many more problems in smaller airports than larger airports. The look of the long line at O'Hare or Hartsfield (Atlanta) is intimidating, but most of the time the lines are manageable. Smaller airports, such as my home hub in Raleigh, can be a nightmare.

Here is an example from yesterday. I had a 7:30 am flight and arrived at the airport at 6:00 am. Too early? Nope. The computers for self check-in were down and since the airlines rely on those types of self check-ins, there was not nearly enough staff to handle all of the passengers. The wait for security was 30-45 minutes. The gentleman behind me in line kept asking the TSA people if he (and others) with flights leaving right away could move to the front of the line. TSA politely said "no." The gentleman had a 6:30 am flight and got to the airport at 6:00. Needless to say, he didn't make it and he was livid.

 

[safetymom]

I agree. I traveled several times this week and saw long security lines even in small airports.

If you don't get to the airport early enough you don't have room to complain if you miss your flight. With full flights these days who knows when you will get on a flight if you miss it.

 

[Lewisc]

Large airports have the ability to clear passengers through the wrong security line and then move them to the right terminal. I suspect they can also move employees around as needed.

Small airports may only have one or two security lines for the entire airport. When they get busy there isn't much they can do. Smaller airports may also have less equipment and need to do more screening by hand. Passengers taking so much carryon luggage also slows down the process.

Islip is now suggesting passengers get to the airport 1.5-2 hours before your flight. All passengers should double check, it's not just the larger airports that have delays.

 

[Pedler]

I used to think that I lived in a town with a small airport but now that I have heard of some of the descriptions of small airports I have begun to think that I live in a town with a TINY airport. We have two gates that are in essence really one gate. The security checkin is right at the waiting area for the gate. That is only about 50 feet from the baggage carousel which is right next to the door to the parking lot. The walking time from the long term parking lot to the security check is less than 1 minute and of course the walk time from the security check to the gate is sub second.

The only delay that we could have getting to the airport is if we had a car breakdown or accident. (That is why we end up leaving early, just in case.) But you can litterally pull into the airport parking lot 30 minutes before your flight and still end up waiting 25 minutes at the gate after checking in with the airline and going through security. My wife will often leave our house just 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time. (Sometimes she gets there and security doesn't even open up until 20 minutes before the departure time.

Its time to face reality and acknowledge that I don't have a small town airport but instead have a tiny town airport. Somehow the term small town just seems better.

Of course the plus side of this is that when we leave WDW using ME 3 hours before our return flight and if we get checked in early the kids will be so preoccupied with a "big city" airport and all of the hustle and bustle of it that I don't think we will have any problem keeping them occupied during the wait. And of course we can sample that fine MCO airport cuisine!

 

[bavaria]

Once again I have to agree with Safetymom. I have flown through 'tiny town' airports, and experienced some of the longest delays there. They just can't pull extra staff when they need it, so bad weather/mechanical issues/security scares etc really throw the entire airport operation out of whack.

I do have the ultimate trump card though - I am part of the program which allows me to fast pass Customs and Immigration and security lines while travelling between the US and Canada (which I do very frequently). Ah, the bliss of bypassing the customs lines when five flights from Asia and Europe have just arrived!

And even with that card, I still arrive at least 2 hours early for most of my flights.

 

[ksjayhawkfan]

Ok, so we are flying out of Wichita, in 11 days I might add Our flight is at 7:50 AM, what time do we need to be there? 5:50? I havent flown in 17 years so Im a little rusty lol.

 

[safetymom]

That would be correct.

 

[bicker]

On international flights if someone checks bags, but doesn't make the flight or any portion/leg of the flight..the bags have to be pulled off.

I believe that regulation has been revoked, at least for domestic airlines making international flights.