potus18

With AA’s flight being the last one to HKG that night, I was panicking all flight from JFK about missing bag drop - then remembered the two times I’ve been denied boarding b/c of bag drop cutoff I’ve been told “the system won’t let me print a tag,” realizing mid-flight this could work. And it did!

UKtravelbear

what you see as padding AA sees as providing a more realistic schedule.

Lookign at flight radar for the last 7 days flights have arrived between 14.45 (your flight) and 16.01 and flight times ranging from 7hr 29 and 8 hr 27

Your flight also departed at 12.16 compared to 12.05 but others havn't been so lucky in their actual departure times.


Looking at one flight in isolation is never a good idea

FlyingEgghead

Do you think SDC or standby would have worked to avoid buying a new ticket? I believe even on an international ticket this can often be done on the final domestic leg.

GRR_Flier

Happened couple of years back Super Bowl Sunday. Planned to travel to TPA from GRR. Route was GRR-CLT-TPA. Flight was planned for me to be in the hotel room before the kickoff. Flight GRR-CLT got cancelled as CLT had ice storms. Called AA desk, got a reroute GRR-ORD-TPA. However the GRR-ORD was only 45 mins away (takes 20 mins to get to GRR from home). Asked the wife to drop me, however GRR had a 9 in snow the previous night and the wife's car got stuck at the end of the neighborhood. Somehow pulled it out of that mess and drove to GRR. Wife asked me to check-in, however could not do it as I was driving. Reached GRR with 14 mins from the flight, the kiosk would not let me check-in as the check-in time had elapsed. Asked the agent to help me, she was not sure what to do. Thought of doing a last ditch effort, walked through the TSA with my cancelled flight's BP and amazingly it worked ! Ran to the gate, the agent was still helping boarding the flight (i think group 7). Requested her to print the BP and on checking my status she did. Reached ORD after an hour delay due to de-icing backup at GRR. Luckily the TPA flight was also delayed. Ran the fastest 2K of my life, boarded the flight and saw couple of empty F seats. Asked for an upgrade and the FA confirmed with the GA and processed it. Reached TPA, ordered dinner from my favorite take-out, picked up couple of soda cans from the hotel lounge, turned on the TV and there was the KICKOFF !!!

FlyingEgghead

Exactly the type of issue posed here.

CMTinPHL

Absolutely. But I wanted a guarantee should I land early. The one-way flight was shockingly $185 and the upgrade cleared at T-100. I was willing to lose the $185 should AA 180 not arrive early. I just did not want to arrive early and NOT be able to get on the 3:15. I have no regrets.