pinniped

Then it's your call whether you want to gamble.

Sometimes I *do* gamble and show up at the later time. But I recognize there are potential consequences for doing so.

pinniped

Sure, I *might* do that, knowing that the risk is missing the 1st day at Disneyland. It would probably depend on where I was flying from, how many other flights there were, and how hard it looked like it would be to get 4 people through a standby list.

Some intra-CA route? Go back to sleep. If you screw up and miss your flight you're still getting down there that day. Flying in from Europe? Maybe not...

MSPeconomist

One problem with this is that when there are major weather events or other situations that have a major effect on an airport, local airport authorities and/or the local media (especially local TV news broadcasts) tend to very explicitly tell people to check with their airline BEFORE going to the airport, often adding that if your flight is cancelled or delayed, you should NOT go to the airport.

Antarius

The first line is the issue - that is something you, me or FTers will do. The majority don't know they can, how to or what a standby list even is.

I just disagree with the characterization of calling someone who missed a delayed flight that got advanced with no notice, as having screwed up.

LondonElite

I find this his thread confusing. Delays are made up all the time. Unless there is some massive issue (strike, hurricane) where the airline tells you not to show up, assume you should be at the gate at the announced boarding time. Otherwise it’s at your own risk.

flyingeph12

I can't speak for everyone else, but to me a posted delay of 6hrs is completely different than a posted delay of 30 min. Yes, maybe you need to be an experienced flyer to recognize the difference, but to live is to learn, right?

Moreover, I think AA did take responsibility in this situation in that it tried to confirm OP on the next available flight, which in fact, by just looking at the schedule and disregarding the fact that flights might have already been sold out, happens to be this afternoon. AA can't control the fact that a bad winter storm was approaching as of Wednesday afternoon, or that OP needed to be in CMH on Thursday morning.

Honestly, in my mind, to say that AA must stick to every posted delay is the "nonsense."

Often1

You are free to interpret anything anyway you wish. You will simply find that if you had done so in OP's situation that you would have missed your flight and faced waiting for the next availability or purchasing a later flight on DL. Entirely your choice.

Same thing for the people who suggest that they are required to wait at the gate for 4 hours. They are not. They are free to show up at T+3:45 and board, unless there was a further change.

The notion that AA ought to keep the information secret is absurd.

lupine

So if a flight is showing as delayed from 11:30 pm to 8:15 the following morning, some of you folks actually believe that I'm supposed to sit in the airport all night? Not. Happening.

joe_miami

You're obviously not a Veteran Traveler™.

pinniped

I'm pretty sure nobody in this thread actually would actually suggest you sit in the airport all night. I'm not sure where you got that.

People seem to be confusing the typical late-afternoon LaGuardia congestion delays with major systemwide delays caused by hurricanes or winter storms.

autdi

The flip side of not delaying until the last minute happened to me in CLT heading to FWA. No delay, plane arrives at gate early for the inbound. RJ so normal boarding is only 20 min out from departure, so no real concern with 30 min to departure passed. Then at 10 to departure, delays 15 minutes, minor maint, ok, no big deal, I'm sitting next to the DTW gate, and TOL is 2 over, as I live more or less centered between the 3, I regularly fly from all 3, so I really don't care which I go to, I'm getting picked up, no car to have at the wrong airport.

DTW departs, 15 min becomes 30, TOL departs, then delay to 4.5 hours, I'm expecting cancel at this point, so check on the next flight to FWA which was 5 hours out. But next DTW is only 40 minutes out. Get the last seat to DTW. Landing in DTW, the original flight was bumped back up to delayed by 3 hours, but still sitting on the ground in CLT. Could have been on either of the first two DTW or TOL flights, both were half empty, all standby cleared, but no delay until too late to do anything about it.

Colin

you wanted AA to make 100 strangers needlessly late?

yosandr

I'll repeat what i already said many times-
When an airline tells its customer that their flight is delayed, "common sense" (which is what you are asking for) is to listen to the airline because they probably know best, no?

knit-in

It should be. And ridiculous as it is, now you know that they can turn it around on you at a moment's notice.

I would think, and as was suggested by someone upthread, make a claim against them for your out of pocket expenses (if you have screenshots and such) in Small Claims court.

joe_miami

The idea that a flight can be un-delayed is akin to arguing a bell can be un-rung. Once an airline tells people the flight is delayed, that should be it, unless all passengers are accounted for and/or unless there are other reasonable rebooking options within a few hours thereafter for any stragglers.