Missed check-in and was denied boarding
Dec 3, 2018, 10:43 am
#61
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,262
My local small airport (about a million passengers a year) actually shuts down entirely to public use for a couple hours after passengers from the last flight of the night arrive and pass through and doesn't reopen until 2 hours before first scheduled departure of the morning. Gives the cleaners and repair folks a solid 3-4 hours of uninterrupted work time every overnight.
Dec 3, 2018, 11:37 am
#62
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,267
My local small airport (about a million passengers a year) actually shuts down entirely to public use for a couple hours after passengers from the last flight of the night arrive and pass through and doesn't reopen until 2 hours before first scheduled departure of the morning. Gives the cleaners and repair folks a solid 3-4 hours of uninterrupted work time every overnight.
A bit surreal when you are used to DXB....
Dec 3, 2018, 12:13 pm
#63
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
Well, I do spend too much time in pubs/bars. So I just consider my extra time in the club as being in a bar that servers crappy drinks, but is free. :-)
Certainly a legit action by the carrier. But many airlines would rebook for free on the next available option in this case.
Certainly a legit action by the carrier. But many airlines would rebook for free on the next available option in this case.
Dec 3, 2018, 1:16 pm
#64
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Skywards Blue :-(, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold, GHA Platinum
Posts: 2,531
My local small airport (about a million passengers a year) actually shuts down entirely to public use for a couple hours after passengers from the last flight of the night arrive and pass through and doesn't reopen until 2 hours before first scheduled departure of the morning. Gives the cleaners and repair folks a solid 3-4 hours of uninterrupted work time every overnight.
Dec 4, 2018, 6:03 am
#66
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
While some small airports do not open until a short(ish) time prior to a flight, others also use the same staff for ticket counters as well as the gate and ramp. Thus, when the check-in deadline passes, the counter closes and the counter staff head to the gate and ramp. Not a question of being a couple of minutes late for check-in and finding someone who might still process you, but a matter of arriving to find no open counter and thus no bag check (or check in if one does not have a BP).
Dec 4, 2018, 10:04 am
#67
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Central Texas
Programs: Many, slipping beneath the horizon
Posts: 9,859
Flying for decades from one of those "small airports", I'm quite used to "counter" personnel heading out to the ramp to (a) signal parking instructions to the arriving flight's aircrew, (b) rolling out the "stairs", and/or (c) helping to unload, shift and load baggage (and often repeating part of the exercise prior to departure). Fortunately, the days of pulling through the prop or pulling the chocks have long passed.
Those memories helped to reinforce my "environmental conditioning" to follow the even arbitrary and capricious rules adopted by the airlines. Of course, 3 years "living" aboard an aircraft carrier aided my adaptation to existence bound by the rules. The "Dawn Launch" occurs close to "First Light", but not until the ship turns into the wind, enough wind to get the birds off the deck, even in the age of steam cats.
Those memories helped to reinforce my "environmental conditioning" to follow the even arbitrary and capricious rules adopted by the airlines. Of course, 3 years "living" aboard an aircraft carrier aided my adaptation to existence bound by the rules. The "Dawn Launch" occurs close to "First Light", but not until the ship turns into the wind, enough wind to get the birds off the deck, even in the age of steam cats.
Dec 5, 2018, 8:22 pm
#68
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
Ouch! In Paid F
My colleague (chairman) got denied J on BA because he qued at the wrong gate and the gate had closed 20 minutes before departure...gone are the times when staff used to chase you down to make sure you boarded your flight.
10 years ago in Japan, boarded a flight with check in 30 minutes to departure - thats what I call service
Joy of travelling is gone...
With over 8,000 flights a week through Dubai International they couldn't possibly chase people down. If you had not reached check in what would you expect to happen here?
And let's be honest, what happened 10 years ago in Japan is hardly relevant.
Frustrating I know, and EK could have been flexible on the rebooking, but passengers should check in on time. With 300+ others looking for an on time departure, and the risk of a missed slot, they won't take the chance.