"Flight closed" but not departed? (Barred or let aboard)
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
"Flight closed" but not departed? (Barred or let aboard)
I had a late inbound flight to PHX that cut my connection time to 2 minutes. As I approached the connecting gate, I noticed the door was shut and the monitors said "Flight closed," so I continued walking to a customer service counter.
While in line at the counter, I kept refreshing my AA app out of curiosity, and noticed the departure time for the supposedly closed flight getting pushed back. It wasn't until 25 minutes later that the flight status finally changed to Departed.
Did I make a rookie mistake? Should I have spoken to the gate agent at the closed flight as soon as I arrived?
While in line at the counter, I kept refreshing my AA app out of curiosity, and noticed the departure time for the supposedly closed flight getting pushed back. It wasn't until 25 minutes later that the flight status finally changed to Departed.
Did I make a rookie mistake? Should I have spoken to the gate agent at the closed flight as soon as I arrived?
#2
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 130
If the door to the plane was closed, it's unlikely they would re-open the door to the jetway. I have read anecdotal instances where this happens, but those are extremely rare situations. What likely happened is that the flight was waiting from clearance from the tower on the tarmac. Did you notice if the plane was still at the gate, or had already pushed back?
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
#6
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,816
Door could be closed and the jetway could be off the aircraft. Planes will periodically hold with the brakes set at the gate if they are waiting for numbers, waiting for a recalc on fuel, or awaiting a clearance to push back.
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,186
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,186
"The greatest amount of snow ever recorded at the official reporting station in Phoenix was 1.0 inch on January 20 1933, and on January 21 and 22 1937." - http://southwestweather.com/wx/wxsnowhistory.php
My post was a general additional reason why a flight would be "closed" while the aircraft remains at the gate for a while, not meant to be specifically for PHX.
My post was a general additional reason why a flight would be "closed" while the aircraft remains at the gate for a while, not meant to be specifically for PHX.
#10
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: SE Wisconsin
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond for Life
Posts: 337
I’ve had several opportunities to sit and look at my plane, still attached to the jetway, and I’m unable to board because the door had just closed. I beg and plead with the agent at the gate, and while they refuse to open the door, they have me on another flight in about 45 seconds.
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
"Flight closed" is not about closing the doors (jet bridge or aircraft cabin), but about the administrative process which goes with a flight departure. Closing the doors is one part of all of that, but in order for an aircraft to push on time, several pieces of data, including passenger count, must come from the GA. That cannot happen until the flight is closed. This is not to suggest that the flight cannot be reopened, only that this is relatively rare and is done through Operations, not the GA's discretion.
AA's passenger deadline for domestic is T-15. At that point, AA may offload those who are not boarded(ing) and fill the now empty seats with standbys or simply send the aircraft out as soon as it is ready to push.
All of that said, if you are actually close to the gate and see "flight closed" and there is still a GA present, I would still head to the GA and see what can be done. You can't know until you have tried that it won't work. Most especially true if the aircraft has taken a significant delay and there are seats.
AA's passenger deadline for domestic is T-15. At that point, AA may offload those who are not boarded(ing) and fill the now empty seats with standbys or simply send the aircraft out as soon as it is ready to push.
All of that said, if you are actually close to the gate and see "flight closed" and there is still a GA present, I would still head to the GA and see what can be done. You can't know until you have tried that it won't work. Most especially true if the aircraft has taken a significant delay and there are seats.
#12
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum | Flying Blue Petroleum | Hilton Gold | Marriott Gold | Shangri-La Jade
Posts: 306
"Flight closed" is not about closing the doors (jet bridge or aircraft cabin), but about the administrative process which goes with a flight departure. Closing the doors is one part of all of that, but in order for an aircraft to push on time, several pieces of data, including passenger count, must come from the GA. That cannot happen until the flight is closed. This is not to suggest that the flight cannot be reopened, only that this is relatively rare and is done through Operations, not the GA's discretion.
AA's passenger deadline for domestic is T-15. At that point, AA may offload those who are not boarded(ing) and fill the now empty seats with standbys or simply send the aircraft out as soon as it is ready to push.
All of that said, if you are actually close to the gate and see "flight closed" and there is still a GA present, I would still head to the GA and see what can be done. You can't know until you have tried that it won't work. Most especially true if the aircraft has taken a significant delay and there are seats.
AA's passenger deadline for domestic is T-15. At that point, AA may offload those who are not boarded(ing) and fill the now empty seats with standbys or simply send the aircraft out as soon as it is ready to push.
All of that said, if you are actually close to the gate and see "flight closed" and there is still a GA present, I would still head to the GA and see what can be done. You can't know until you have tried that it won't work. Most especially true if the aircraft has taken a significant delay and there are seats.
#13
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Gold, WN A+ & CP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 3,245
#14
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,816
"The greatest amount of snow ever recorded at the official reporting station in Phoenix was 1.0 inch on January 20 1933, and on January 21 and 22 1937." - Weather Facts - Snow in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area
My post was a general additional reason why a flight would be "closed" while the aircraft remains at the gate for a while, not meant to be specifically for PHX.
My post was a general additional reason why a flight would be "closed" while the aircraft remains at the gate for a while, not meant to be specifically for PHX.
#15
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 279
Years ago, @ EWR, got to the gate after the doors were shut and gate agents had left the podium. The jet bridge was still attached though and the plane was physically at the gate. My jejune travelling companion proceeded to try to open the door to the jetbridge herself, which led to all sorts of security alarms going off. Mercifully, as this was well before 9/11, nothing happened to us.