I am not aware of any policies which allow the agent to close boarding early if they are missing passengers who have checked in. If you receive poor service, and feel inclined to do so, send a complaint through the appropriate channels. Management can't fix problems of which they are not aware.
Originally Posted by
fumje
I don't think it's that clear-cut. I've had a gate agent hustle me on, only for me to stand in a packed jetbridge for 10 minutes. Just because all the boarding passes have been scanned doesn't mean the plane is ready to go.
Exactly right. There are a number of work groups, each working mostly independently, to get an airplane boarded, loaded, and on its way.
The gate agent doesn't know what's going on farther down the jetbridge, and in the airplane aisle, nor the status of baggage loading, fueling, maintenance, pilot preparation, or when ramp congestion will allow for the flight to push. They are working on their part of the puzzle which is getting the airplane boarded, and the cabin door closed, on time.
The EZChat function has increased the flow of information between work groups but it is still limited.
We can generally push up to ten minutes early if all passengers are onboard. Earlier than that requires approval from SOC and NOC to ensure that an early arrival won't compound problems for the arrival station.