ffay005

I'm flying MIA-HEL today. I've done OLCI but I need to check in bags. I'm in J.

According to finnair.fi, the HEL-MIA AY 7 is approx. two hours delayed and is now scheduled to arrive at the same time as AY 8 is to depart. Obviously, AY 8 will be at least 90 min delayed.

I would hate to sit at the airport for those extra 90+ minutes doing nothing.

In the past, I've sometimes received an SMS from AY letting me know about the delay. That message also says something along the lines "check-in closes at XX". By now, I haven't received an SMS (AY has my mobile number in the reservation, however I'm booked under AA flight number).

What is your experience? Will they keep check-in / baggage drop at MIA open later than usual if the flight is 90-120 min delayed? Should I confirm this with someone and with whom? That would probably be the groundhandling staff at MIA, but I don't know which company that is.

Grateful for your help!

remymartin

I wouldn't risk it. Enjoy the lounge!

ffay005

The Club America is nothing to enjoy, I'm afraid... And I'm afraid I won't get any SMS because of the AA codeshare. We'll see. At least I'll try to be at check-in as close to the 60-min deadline as possible to minimize waiting.

intuition

My experience has not to do with the actual drop and only with the Check in and irrops.

But my guess would be that initial deadline still exists and must be followed. I wouldnt risk it unless Ground service officially said OK. Sorry, cant help more than that.

esledo

As mentioned, generally original check-in times exist unless the airline has directly told you something else.

(This can also be a matter of ground handling resources.)

FFlash

This is the stupidity of the system, having gone through that many times too. Rules usually (always?) say you need to be there at the airport. This is so nice when IRROPS.
For that matter, it happened me once that my flight was announced to depart 2,5 hours later (due to unknown reason), so I stayed in lounge mind calm. After some time I see on panels that my flight has final call! Made me almost .... in my pants, run to gate and just got there at last second. No announcement was made that the delayed time was retracted and new earlier time put. Watch out!

ffay005

I now received an SMS and an email giving an ETD of 17:30 and the note "saavuthan lähtöselvitykseen kaksi tuntia ennen uutta lähtöaikaa", thus they ask you to check in two hours before the new ETD. They always ask for two hours and then close the check-in 45 min before the flight, but this time I suppose I'll play it safe and be at the baggage drop a little before 15:30.

Thanks for your help, guys!

ffay005

I was at check-in around 3 pm. The friendly agent told me they were keeping the desks open until about 4-4:15 pm today.

Councourse F is as outdated as it ever was, but the staff at check-in and at the lounge are very friendly and there was virtually no line at security. The lounge agent even speaks a couple of words Finnish

intuition

Great it worked out!
Since you said this has happened before (Text announcing later bag drop deadline), I wonder if it is a feature of MIA and/or other NA airports that makes this possible? Because I wonder if the do the same with delays at HEL.

IME, which is only the dreaded AY69 8h+ delays, they've urged passengers to get to the airport inline with the original deadlines. Only local (Helsinki living) pax are told to stay home, probably because they don't want to pay hotels for locals.
One time they got everyone to go to HEL airport and then kept pushing the boarding time 30 minutes forward multiple times until 3-4 am or something.

theBro

I have had similar SMS notification of a delay (and later check-in) at least in Singapore. Unfortunately the SMSs are usually too late to actually affect the arrival to the airport... I cannot recall if the same has happened in HEL, but I do remember the mentioned 30 min extensions both in HEL and US airports.

Courmisch

This also occurs at Helsinki.

I received that short message 3 hours and 17 minutes before the original departure time (enough to reschedule my public transportation to the airport):
(Haphazard white-spacing Finnair's. Name and code alteration mine.)

And before you ask, the plane actually took off at about 1AM, not at the usual 8AM ;-)

ffay005

I've only received the SMSs in NYC before, and now at MIA.

Once leaving HEL they called the night before and offered a reroute. Flight was cxl.