autdi

Probably not as long as it took to redo the weight and balance. I'm surprised the captain didn't ask for them to be put on, so they didn't have to redo everything. It's a E170 or MD83, so that's a full 1/3 the flight or more.

DCP2016

Does anyone know if CVG is AA employees or outsourced? Not that is matters but the latter would make more sense. This lies all on AA's CVG management for the check-in mess, AA management for the D-0 nonsense, and possibly the captain for not allowing them to get on but was perfectly fine with removing their bags and re-doing the W&B.

enpremiere

Or if they were all on buddy passes and properly dressed

autdi

It also doesn't help AA uses just about the furthest gate from the security checkpoint. It was quiet in A using the ex-US gates, now they moved to the end of B with Delta.

wrp96

Years ago, checking in for a large group missions trip to South America is what almost sent me running to other airlines and never looking back. I was the first member of the group to arrive (2+ hours before the early morning flight - the counter wasn't even open yet), and while waiting for the rest of the group to arrive, was treated to a lecture from the agent about how I was making his life difficult, about how horrible groups are, etc, etc, etc. So I could totally see issues at check in if this group encountered a Mr. Grumpy like we had at my local airport who didn't want to deal with checking in a group. Apparently there are extra steps to the process. BUT, as said above, someone at that station should've used some common sense and gotten that group on the plane.

jayer

Yes it was. I got that. Restating, I'd hesitate to presume a 90 minute connection at DFW would work on an average day, with no back-up plan, and it's my home airport. Let alone with a cast of 40. My limited experience with youth groups of that size is it's like herding cats even if they are exemplary people and fully cooperative. It was tight timing at more than one airport and all had to work or it went bust. Which it did before they left town.

For this plan to work one GA had to check in one person, apparently with luggage, at least every three minutes. It all had to get on the plane (and if it did is an unanswered question). Baggage transfer in Texas would have been. . . .interesting, at best. It's local news here, and some buzz maybe they weren't quite there 2 hours early as others infer upthread. OK, perfect execution they make the plane, but some bumbling happened. Maybe quite a bit. Locally I hear the recommendation for large groups is three hours, not two. Might have been a better idea. But we get threads all the time about plans ruined because a tight connection didn't work. I wouldn't try it with a group.

david55

My guess.... it had something to do with checking ( and perhaps entering) passports and maybe some of the youths were under aged which would have required additional checking to make sure the kids were legit to leave the country. I think the youth leader was a little naive to think it would be a normal check-in.

autdi

If the news story is accurate, the counter was not staffed when they arrived, so getting there yet earlier would have potentially been pointless. AA claims they open at 3:45, so there should have been someone around.

JMorgana

The point is, they were departing the US. This was an international flight, hence the longer recommended arrival time.

mvoight

The real points
1. They were slowed down by the agent trying to do the "all for one" baggage checking
2. They arrived 3 minutes after the gate cutoff time. The plane was still there, and it seems they could have been boarded in less time than it would take to offload their bags
This wasn't just a few people, it was a group of 40

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

While AA might say 2 hours (or even 90 minutes) it seems to me a group leader should know better. Your talking about checking in and taking bags from 40 kids. Then 40 kids getting through TSA. Then 40 kids that need to go to the bathroom and get something to eat. What I know of young people (and what I remember myself when I was that age) was very little sense of time. Afterall the adults had to fix something that went wrong.

Dave Noble

There is no longer recommended arrival time

It clearly states that within the USA, the recommended arrival time is 90 minutes

It also states that outside the USA, the recommended arrival time is 2 hours

If they had the issue when flying from Mexico to USA, then they would not have met the recommended arrival time. Since they were departing from an airport within the USA, the listed recommended arrival time is 90 minutes

There is no mention whatsoever of destination making a difference

Antarius

90 min in DFW is waaaay beyond reasonable, even for a group. It takes 15 minutes at most from any gate to any gate. Even if you factor in not getting a gate, some delays on the ramp and then getting off, transiting skylink and boarding the herded group, thats an hour.

Barring a total WX meltdown, I disagree that 90 minutes is cutting it close.

Antarius

I agree with this. But this doesn't excuse what appears to be an epic cockup by AA.

zrs70

Someone upthread stated this, but I will restate....

Whether it's an individual or a group of 40 .... they are all going on the same plane. In fact, it should be faster to check in all the kids on this record than it would be to check in 40 separate records. I've done it with AA many times, and it usually works like a well oiled machine. It didn't take 3 minutes per person. It took 45 seconds, at most.

Seeing this is international, and Passports need to be checked, add a minute to that.

But it should not take any additional time at all.