DL new baggage requirement 45 minutes at San Antonio, TX
 

Hi all,

I have been heard from DL came in today. Effective July 15, 2008 new baggage requirement will be cutoff time 45 minutes before the flight is departed. It will be in San Antonio, TX has been change the bags cutoff time is increased from 30 minutes to 45 minutes before the flight is departed. You have to come to SAT very early due to new baggage requirement will be change it goes on effective July 15, 2008. Hopefully if you need give yourself extra time to come SAT very early. Thank you for your cooperation due to new baggage requirement will be changed.

Regards

Hey there. Thanks for the update. I thought this policy was in effect for DL everywhere. I guess its been different from airport to airport.

For most airports, 30 minutes is the cut off. There are a few where 45 minutes is the minimum.

https://www.delta.com/traveling_chec...index.jsp#when

Correct! Those are some airports the bags requirement will be cutoff times is ATL, JFK, LAX, LAS, MCO, SJU, DEN, RNO and SAT, too. The new policy will goes on effective July 15, 2008 for SAT will be increased the bags cutoff times by 45 minutes before the flight is departed.

Also, why DL didn't increased the bags cutoff time from IAD? :confused:

Because the checked bags can get to the plane at IAD wayyyyyy faster than the people can! I cannot wait for 2014, or whenever they will be done with their big dig.

If it is the same guys that did the Boston "big dig", I'd shoot for 2020.

SAT is such a small little airport that I am confused as to why they do that. Maybe because the airport is under construction as they are adding a new terminal, but still.. other airlines are at 30 minutes and that puts DL at a competitive disadvantage

Agreed. It could be an issue getting the bags from Delta to TSA and onto the planes in time.

United seems to have the longest "45 minute" list - http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,52481,00.html

US - http://www.usairways.com/awa/content...ckintimes.aspx

CO - Buried in page 10 of the CoC
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...2008051901.pdf

AA - http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...horEvent=false

NW - http://www.nwa.com/features/update_airport.shtml#1

Perhaps they are downsizing staff at SAT, and want to make sure that the remaining lucky ones have enough time to do their job (along with their former co-workers' jobs).

I used to be based at SAT (left a year ago) and was traveling in/out on a regular basis until Feb 2008.

There are two terminals at SAT - DL is in the same terminal as WN, NW, YX, UA, and a couple of others. The old terminal has AA, CO, and US. DL's terminal has the checked baggage x-rays in the lobby, so whatever issue there is isn't a "behind the scenes" TSA issue.

I suspect that this is related somehow to construction at the airport. SAT is building a whole new terminal between the DL (Term 1) and AA (Term 2) terminals. I think that the construction will affect ramp space, (though primarily for WN's operation), and may affect baggage handling, too. It certainly will affect traffic.

As it is, the security check in BOTH SAT terminals is hideous. Term 1 (DL/WN) can reach up to 45 minutes on a Monday AM, depending on how many lanes the TSA bothers to open. Term 2 (AA/CO) is much, much worse - there have been delays exceeding 1:15 - 1:30 just to clear security (I've stood in line at that terminal for nearly an hour one Monday at 6 AM). Even the airport management warns people to arrive 2-2:30 before their flight.

FWIW, because of the construction you'll want to arrive early in any event. The road system at the airport is under construction, and (because the new terminal will attach to the existing T1 (DL/WN), I'd expect that there will be disruptions there, too. It's not like construction folks (or airport management) does much to arrange work/configurations/detours for the convenience of anyone but themselves..... (personal opinion only).

I think DL lost a gate to FL, so now there are only 2 DL gates right next to the NW gate at SAT. I don't see how the construction at T2 really affects baggage service at T1 though, unless it is to accommodate the traffic situations.

The whole expansion of SAT is turning into a real cluster---.