After reading through umteen posts, can somebody show me some evidence -- other than an unsubstantiated claim by an interested party -- than any of these forty passengers was:
(1) properly and actually checked in at least 60 minutes before the scheduled departure time; and
(2) was on board or at least ready, willing, and able to board, and in the right place to board, and attempted to board the aircraft at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure; and
(3) was nevertheless denied boarding?
Because pursuant to the
published cut-off times, that's all that matters. If any passenger met #1 and #2 above and was still denied boarding, then NW (or, perhaps more accurately, its FRA ground operation) was in the wrong. Otherwise, NW did nothing wrong, the public relations effort and mea culpa notwithstanding.