ldpeters

Hey DL forum --

My girlfriend is scheduled to fly on a DL flight this evening, 4:35 PM LAS-JFK. That flight is now delayed to 7:55 PM, according to both DL.com and the automated calls we keep getting (though not yet hit Google / Flightstats).

I'm a long-time FTer but largely fly AA and UA domestically. On either, once the flight posts as delayed it's basically a guarantee that the flight isn't going to depart earlier than the new estimated time. As such, you can show up as though the delayed departure time was the actual departure time, without worrying about them departing it any earlier.

I know on WN this definitely doesn't hold -- you have to be at the gate by the scheduled departure because they might move things up even after they've posted a delay -- and on AS it can also be a bit of a crap shoot.

How does this work on DL? Provided we keep an eye on the flight status, are we safe planning on getting her to the airport based on the "new" delayed departure?

Thanks!

BobH

With Delta, depending on the reason for the delay the time could change ---

either way.

Bob H

javabytes

Pretty much the same as on AA/UA. Depends on the reason. If it's MX, it can always get fixed quicker than they estimate. If it's WX, it can clear up or Ops can change how they are handling slots. If it's a delayed inbound aircraft, that aircraft can also come in earlier than expected. Or they can pull in spare equipment/crew. It can always move up, just like it can on AA/UA, but I'd be a little more worried about that if you were departing from a hub.

ldpeters

Thanks. My experience on AA/UA is that once they set the time, they will not move it up unless everybody is aboard. I've (more than once) been on AA and UA aircraft that they have held for the five passengers who waited until 25 minutes before the "new" departure time to show up at the gate, even if the plane was otherwise ready to go well before that.

Does DL do that, or is it more like WN where the number is an estimate and they will just take off whenever they damn well please (exaggeration, but I've had it happen)

charms81

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6 months back i was flying back from ORD to ATL at a 5PM flight and the DL.com status said that flight was delayed 2 hours departing at 7. Luckily, we had nothing else to do in Chicago so thought to get to airport and have a meal there to kill some time. When we were close to reaching airport (around 3:45 pm), i checked DL.com and flight was back on schedule for 5 pm departure. We barely made it on time after returning to the offsite parking.

Mega Boris

My fiancee is on the same flight. Its been bumped forward now to 8pm, so thats better, but still stinks overall.

ldpeters

Agreed. I'm staying in Vegas so it was nice to spend the afternoon together, but gives her pretty awful timing.

Flight departed at about 8:10 PM.

I do really, really dislike how Delta does this, though. AA or even UA would be competent enough to set the right delay time early on and not have to roll it back. It's fairer all around.

lsumegan

For everyone who feels this way, there is someone who would rather depart as close to the original departure time as possible. I don't think it has anything to do with competence, I think it has to do with the fact that "stuff" happens that can not always be predicted. For instance, they can decide to switch out aircraft instead of work on a mechanical issue, which may decrease or negate the delay.

sethb

PMNW has been known to cancel pax who didn't check in by the original flight time (-30 minutes) in order to claim they didn't have to provide denied boarding compensation on an overbooked flight. (This happened to my then-gf, who fortunately did check in on time at the airport, but they'd closed the flight to check-in several minutes early.)