OMG Recently flew Delta and was at check-in ONE MINUTE before 45 minute cut off and..

[SonicGuy]

Not defending OP, but I fly frequently and never knew about the 45 minute rule. Mainly because I obsess about being early and would never arrive less than 2 hours before my flight. I have definitely learned something from this thread. I can't help but think about a flight I had last September from Chicago's O'Hare back to Dallas where we stood in line for OVER 90 minutes for check in. Guess I could've learned about the 45 minute rule then (if I had not been 3 hours early!).

As far as the 15 minute rule - I do have a problem with this. I paid for my seat, and if the doors are still open and they are still boarding, as far as I am concerned that is MY seat! I know why they do it - but it is still my seat.

 

[Lewisc]

You are right and the COMPUTER said 8:44am. and the rule is 45 minutes before departure and it was 46 minutes based on the COMPUTER'S time. So there wasn't any rule to enforce.

And leaving your resort 2 and half hours before departure when it's only 15 minutes away was enough time. We just happened to cut it close this time. That's all, not late at all. Just in the knick of time!

I must of misread all your previous posts. My understanding was that you missed your flight because you were late. You didn't get to the airport 1.5 hours before your flight, as suggested by TSA and you weren't able to get your luggage checked 45 minutes before your flight. The computer may have allowed the skycap to begin the process but he was unable to check your bags 45 mintues prior to your flight. Delta enforced their rule and you missed your flight.

 

[dcgrumpy]

If the computer said 8:44 that means you had less than a minute to get everything checked in. Like previous posters have said you have to get uyour luggage checked in 45 minutes before, not show up 45 minutes beforehand. It could have been actually been 8:44:58 and there was no time left.

 

[chrisann]

The OP doesn't seem to get the point that her getting to the check in counter and her luggage already being tagged are not the same things. Regardless of why they were late, and yes you were late. I'm sure nobody enjoys hanging around the airport for 1-2 hours after they've checked their luggage (especially us with my two little monkeys), but it's all a piece of mind because of the the things that COULD happen between when you leave the hotel and when you get through security. It really is just a matter of being prepared. As it was your first time to Orlando, you should of left even more time for things to go wrong, we still do. It really isn't anyone's fault other than bad planning/timing on you and your family's part. If you can't see that, then we should probably quit this thread because you never will. So far, you blamed, Delta, the skycap, and the bad directions. There has to be consequences, otherwise what's the point of rules? I don't mean to be harsh but I work in the travel industry and it's frustrating when travellers make the mistakes and then expect everything to be fixed with them still getting what they wanted. This is just my opinion though!

 

[jcodespoti]

Granted the op should have been earlier at the airport. Delta could have cut you a little slack, but they didn't have to.


Joe in CT

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

It's also worth noting that certain carriers (Delta included) often change their flight schedules by just a few minutes one way or the other. If the OP booked tickets on Hotwire she may not have known if there was a schedule change (one of many reasons you should never buy airfare that way) that may have put the 45 minute cut off a few minutes early. Happens all the time. Again, another reason why getting to the airport WELL IN ADVANCE rather than in the nick of time works so much better.

As far as being charged $25 per person for same day confirmed seats, that's fairly cheap in the big scheme of things. Southwest, so popular for its cheap flights, will not allow you to fly earlier or later on the same day without a price upgrade to the full, unrestricted fare.

Again, I'm sorry your trip home was delayed, but it really wasn't Delta's fault.

 

[pugdog]

And how can the OP say she got there on time. If she did she would have been on the original flight going home.

 

[TDC Nala]

The OP left the hotel (don't know where this hotel was) two and a half hours before the flight time. If you allow one and a half hours at the airport, then she left the hotel one hour before the target time.

They fell victim to what the OP says were some bad directions to Hertz.

I believe Hertz is an off-the-airport rental car facility. That means returning the car involves dropping the car off, doing whatever needs to be done to get the receipt, and taking some form of transportation provided by Hertz to the airport.

Isn't it possible all that could take longer than an hour anyway (driving to Hertz, dropping the car, putting everything on the shuttle to the airport, riding in the shuttle to the correct terminal) even without bad directions?

All that is what the planning for an hour and a half at the airport could prevent.

 

[dudspizza]

I know Bavaria is out there "lurking" on this thread and thinking "there is no pixie dust on the transportation board"! The OP has been given very factual information on this thread instead of fluffy responses.......

Good info everyone and I hope many people have learned from this thread.... get to the airport early, period. I fly in 4 days to Disneyland and will be there VERY early, as always!

Happy travels, everyone!

Duds

 

[rugrats2001]

Yes I read the terms and conditions and although I didn't mean to be cutting it so close, we made it. What is so hard to understand about that?

No, you only THOUGHT you made it! If a submarine dives at 1:00 sharp, and it takes 3 minutes to close the hatch, you can't start closing the hatch at 12:59! Your baggage couldn't be completely checked before the time limit, therefore, Delta didn't allow it to be processed.

 

[DaveO]

I hope you paid by $100 by credit card. When Delta screwed me over during a blizzard and charged me $700 to rebook tickets I filed a dispute with the credit card. I got every dime credited back even with people here telling me 'delta was right'. If you honestly belive you handed the luggage to them for checkin in before 45 mins then dispute it. It is really semantics that it takes 1.23468 seconds to check in so you were late. Common sense says if you are are the counter in time then that is it - should not matter how fast or slow it takes them to check in your luggage.

Good luck with your CC dispute. Even if you lose it will cost delta money as they get charged for each dispute regardless of the outcome ( I am spitefull like that so it would give me satisfaction!!).

Dave O.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Where did you find that information? It is NOT that explicit on Delta's site. Nor was it on my ticket. I do not walk around with the internet readily available on my hip. I was on vacation. Besides, we were at the front of the line, at the counter, checking in at 8:44am. 46 minutes prior to take off. We were within the 45 check in time. If they want to be more specific then it should be posted upon arrival at the airport and DEFINITELY ON the tickets.

The general advice that's repeated over and over in newspapers and on television is to get to the airport 1 1/2 to 2 hours before flight time. I take this advice seriously, so it really doesn't matter if a specific airport has a 30-minute baggage check cut-off or a 45-minute baggage check cut-off. After all, I want to be at the gate 30 minutes before check-in; that's when boarding begins.

I just looked at my most recent e-ticket from Delta. It has several links, including a link to Check-in Requirements. I don't think anyone wants an e-ticket confirmation e-mail that's 20 pages long, so there's an organized list of links to key web pages with important information. (I don't know what HotWire sends out; my e-mail was from Delta because I bought directly from Delta's website.)

Being there "within the 45 check in time" is not enough.

The Check-in Requirements say, "If you are checking bags, your baggage must be checked in at least 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time unless you're traveling from one of the following cities," and a chart shows Orlando as having a 45-minute requirement. I added the boldface to show that it says "must be checked in" (past tense) -- which means the check-in must be completed by 45 minutes before flight time, not merely started.

Again the 45 minutes should never be an issue if passengers arrive 1 1/2 to 2 hours before flight time, as generally recommended.

Delta did not offer any other solution or wasn't even willing to meet us half way. They weren't budging, which leads me to believe that their customer satisfaction is not their priority, it's prolly paying off their bankruptcy by making travelers late at baggage check in.

The same situation could have happened with any airline. The airlines have cut-off times for accepting baggage, and the times are based on actual check-in -- not on when the passenger is at the back of the line or even the front of the line.

Arguing with a busy counter agent (who is powerless to accept late baggage check-ins) for 20 minutes accomplishes nothing except to slow the line down for other passengers waiting to check in -- but it's likely that the counter agent wasn't enjoying the argument, and could do little other than to repeat the airline's rules.

Again, I'm sorry that I'm not showing more sympathy or compassion. If the same thing had happened to me -- especially if thought I had allowed plenty of time -- I would have been very upset too.

I hope that this thread will help other people understand the importance of leaving for the airport early enough, with plenty of time for unforeseen delays.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Well, we did leave enough cushion time. We left our room, which was 15 minutes away at 7:00am. We did run into traffic problems BUT WE MADE IT TO CHECK IN BEFORE 45 MINS BEFORE DEPARTURE. That is the point. We had two bags and had already checked in online. You can't honestly think they should've charged us $100 for this?

Charged you? I don't know, although it does seem like Delta charges for everything (not like the olden days ).

Something similar happened to my brother last year - different airport, different legacy airline. He checked in online, then got to the airport and made it to the luggage check counter at exactly 45 minutes prior to his flight. It was explained to him that 45 minutes actually means MORE than 45 minutes. It took him twelve hours to fly across country, with connections, because neither he nor his luggage was allowed on his reserved flight. Oh, and it took his suitcase closer to 36 hours to arrive.

 

[goofy4tink]

Thanks so much to the OP for posting this. It really reinforces what we keep telling people...they need to be at the airport a good two hours before flight departure.
Obviously, the OP arrived to close for comfort, didn't leave enough time. An hour and a half drive from their hotel to MCO when it should have taken just 15 mins is way too long. Must have been a huge amount of traffic and they must have gotten very lost looking for Hertz. I wasn't there, I can't comment though.
But, the luggage checkin time is 45 mins...the luggage must be 'checked in' at least 45 mins before departure. If you arrive at baggage checkin 46 mins before, you are not going to have your bags in their hands, completely checked in at the 45 min mark, you just aren't. It doesn't mean that you can start checking them in at that point...the proceedure has to be completely done at the 45 min mark.

So, again thank-you for pointing this out. If anyone has any doubts as to how to get to the airport, how to find the rental car place, anything...remember to double check. Flights are to easy to miss. You are so much better off being way early than worrying about missing your flight.
Please try to keep this on track, with no name calling, sarcasm, or such.

 

[Lewisc]

It's dishonest to claim the skycap can process two bags in under 2 seconds when that processing includes weighing the bags. Common sense tells us 1 hour before flight isn't early enough when the TSA suggests 1.5 hours.

The OP already said it wasn't the money but the priciple and every other poster said the poster was wrong.

I think Delta could have waived the fee but the OP got off cheap.

It is really semantics that it takes 1.23468 seconds to check in so you were late. Common sense says if you are are the counter in time then that is it - should not matter how fast or slow it takes them to check in your luggage.

Good luck with your CC dispute. Even if you lose it will cost delta money as they get charged for each dispute regardless of the outcome ( I am spitefull like that so it would give me satisfaction!!).

Dave O.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So I didn't make it before the 45 minute cut off or the 46 minute cut off? Which is it? And how was I supposed to know that if we were THAT close to the cut off, we couldn't fly on our scheduled flight? Can you tell me that?

Um, by being an informed consumer? http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/itineraries_checkin/requirements/index.jsp

Okay, this is from my 2005 Song (formerly part of Delta, now defunct) ticket:

Note: Checked baggage must be presented at least 30 minutes before departure for domestic flights or the bag may be refused. For exceptions, please review Delta's Check-In Requirements.

Now, I was flying out of Boston where the cutoff was and is 30 minutes; by clicking the link in this quote, it shows that Orlando is one of the 45 minute airports. Again, apparently, it means the transaction must be completed at least (read: more than) 45 minutes in advance of the flight.

I just went to Delta's site. And the way I read the rules is they have to have possesion of your luggage 45 minutes prior to your flight leaving. That means you cannot be checking it in on the 45th minute, but they have to have it by then.

Exactly. See my response about my brother’s experience, above.

 

[sweetapril73]

I hope you paid by $100 by credit card. When Delta screwed me over during a blizzard and charged me $700 to rebook tickets I filed a dispute with the credit card. I got every dime credited back even with people here telling me 'delta was right'. If you honestly belive you handed the luggage to them for checkin in before 45 mins then dispute it. It is really semantics that it takes 1.23468 seconds to check in so you were late. Common sense says if you are are the counter in time then that is it - should not matter how fast or slow it takes them to check in your luggage.

Good luck with your CC dispute. Even if you lose it will cost delta money as they get charged for each dispute regardless of the outcome ( I am spitefull like that so it would give me satisfaction!!).

Dave O.

Thank you so much for seeing my point. Unlike others who thought we were scuba diving or something..........lol! I didn't think about disputing the charges but I am going to call my CC right now. Everyone on here thinks that I can't read, didn't read, or didn't understand what was made available to me and that's not it at all. Airlines cannot ASSUME that travelers KNOW their rules, it's THEIR job to advertise in more ways than online or on a sign while waiting in line. And if the 45 min cut off has specifics, it needs to be in writing. That's all!

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE ADVICE! I'm vendictive like that too!

 

[sweetapril73]

Um, by being an informed consumer? http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/itineraries_checkin/requirements/index.jsp

Okay, this is from my 2005 Song (formerly part of Delta, now defunct) ticket:
Now, I was flying out of Boston where the cutoff was and is 30 minutes; by clicking the link in this quote, it shows that Orlando is one of the 45 minute airports. Again, apparently, it means the transaction must be completed at least (read: more than) 45 minutes in advance of the flight.

Exactly. See my response about my brother’s experience, above.

Your quote: " I just went to Delta's site. And the way I read the rules is they have to have possesion of your luggage 45 minutes prior to your flight leaving. That means you cannot be checking it in on the 45th minute, but they have to have it by then."

It doesn't SAY this on their site. It says required baggage check in is 45 mins prior to arrival. IT DOES NOT SAY what you assumed in your quote sweetheart! That's the issue.

 

[Lewisc]

You previously stated it wasn't the money but the "principle of it". Virtually every poster in this thread said you were wrong. There is no principle involved with a credit card dispute. I still think a nice letter to Delta, not one that blames Delta, might get you a refund or credit.

The suggested time at MCO is 1.5 hours. That's not a secret. You arrived at MCO 1 hour before your flight. You didn't allow enough time. It's that simple. Buy something at E-Bay. Start your bid before the deadline but finish your bid after the deadline. Again the fact that the clock said it was 46 minutes before your flight when you got to the front of the line doesn't change the fact that your luggage wasn't checked in 45 minutes before your flight. The computer automatically prevents check in, in part, to prevent a well tipped skycap from accepting bags past the deadline. How much lee way? 1 minute? 5 minutes? 10 minutes? At some point the system tags your flight as "no more bags". I still don't know how that changes anything? You'd still be complaining if you checked in exactly 45 minutes before your flight.

It's a shame passengers weren't accepting the terms agreed to when airlines accepted late luggage. Those same passengers that begged to get on the flight, and were told the bags might not make the flight, were insisting the airline transport the bags (for free) to their home. Delta found the easy solution is to not accept the bags.

Delta's solution was great. Free standby might have split your family.

Thank you so much for seeing my point. Unlike others who thought we were scuba diving or something..........lol! I didn't think about disputing the charges but I am going to call my CC right now. Everyone on here thinks that I can't read, didn't read, or didn't understand what was made available to me and that's not it at all. Airlines cannot ASSUME that travelers KNOW their rules, it's THEIR job to advertise in more ways than online or on a sign while waiting in line. And if the 45 min cut off has specifics, it needs to be in writing. That's all!

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE ADVICE! I'm vendictive like that too!

It doesn't SAY this on their site. It says required baggage check in is 45 mins prior to arrival. IT DOES NOT SAY what you assumed in your quote sweetheart! That's the issue

We know what it means since the computer wouldn't allow the skycap to check in your bags. Count the number of posters who all interperted the rule the same way. Now apply common sense. Luggage is checked in a multiple locations. The system needs to know that no more luggage will be accepted. Look at the passengers that are overweight and sepend time arguing with the sky cap or re-arranging their bags. It makes no logical sense to use any time other then the time the baggage tags are printed.

 

[Moomduck1]

I don't fly and even I know you should get to the airport at least 2 hours before. Better to be safe than sorry. Swwetapril, I know you want people to agree with you, but no one does. I'm sorry. It's better to just drop it and let everyone learn from your mistakes instead of arguing with everyone.