Originally Posted by
Stripe
Because the gate agents are not rewarded if they delay closing a flight in order to help out a couple of connectors. They are punished if they miss the departure time, unless the dispatcher instructs them to hold the flight.
The gate agents don't make the decision on waiting for connecting passengers. The Operations Center makes that call. If Operations does not ask them to hold the flight, they will close it out as expected. If Operations tells them to hold it for xx minutes or for xx passengers from flight 1234, then the agents will do that.