beltway

My sister was at SAN today for a DL flight. Although she checked in with plenty of time to spare and was at the gate more than 15 minutes in advance of the flight's scheduled departure -- this being the requirement posted on DL's website & referenced in their contract of carriage -- she discovered to her chagrin that the flight had already departed. Upon inquiring, she was given some song & dance about ATC "telling" the airline/crew to leave early. (I don't have further details on whether this was related to weather or some other condition, although I am skeptical about the ability of ATC to do anything other than warn a pilot that his departure window is rapidly closing.)

This seems to me like a clearcut case of IDB, based on my reading of Rule 245 in DL's contract of carriage, given that Sis was left behind despite complying fully with all the relevant policies. I'd appreciate informed commentary on whether this qualifies as an IDB, especially from folks (on either side of the counter) who have dealt with similar scenarios & compensation arising from same. Thanks.

houserulz77

IDB would seem to be the case.

Extremely odd a flight would leave that far in advance.

I would imagine if you note the flight number or at least the destination from SAN, others can give you more detailed information.

My other thought would be there was a slight (say 10 minute) alteration in the flight time, and your sister wasn't contacted. Of course, you would then think the GA would have said that.

houserulz77

I looked at departures from SAN today (yesterday if you aren't out west).

DL 2978 SAN/SLC was scheduled to depart at 4:27pm. It actually left at 4:13pm. If this is the flight it is certainly plausible that you could be at the gate 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure, and for the door to have been closed for several minutes.

If this is the flight, have her use these times, and make sure she noted the exact time she arrived at the gate etc. I would think, as you mentioned, that compensation as per IDB rules would apply.

beltway

OK, I had the flight info garbled. Flight in question was DCA-ATL, DL 2339 on 10/20, scheduled to leave at noon. (Her onward destination was SAN.) She claims to have been @ gate at 11:45 or a couple mins earlier; flight allegedly departed at 11:50am, which seems possible given that (as you note) the doors close several mins prior. (FlightAware says 11:52am departure, http://flightaware.com/live/flight/D...600Z/KDCA/KATL )

I begin to think this is not so clear-cut, and that she simply missed the 15-min window. If you ask me, it's nuts to cut it that close in the first place, but she hasn't asked me.

MR_MAMA

You need to be on board 15 minutes ahead of time. If she was not on board at that time and they had a right to close the door and depart. You need to check in 30 minutes prior, did she do that? Possibly she missed the check in window.

beltway

Actually, the rule is not "on board 15 mins early." As noted in my original post,As for checkin, she did that about 1 hr before departure, so no problem there.

houserulz77

I'm pretty sure the GA could tell that check-in was completed at DCA, so I would guess there was a page that went out.

I'm guessing that the GA closed the flight at exactly 11:45am (scheduled departure was 12:00pm), went down the jetway to bring the crew the paperwork (thus shutting the jetway door), closed to the aircraft door, and the plane pushed back at 11:52am.

It's possible your sister's watch/clock was a few minutes slower than the clock on the computer the GA was using.

I'm thinking if she contacts DL, they are going to wonder how she checked in at the 60 minute mark and didn't manage to get to the gate in time.

Did they put her on the next flight, and if so, did they charge her anything?