I was travelling yesterday with my husband (who does not fly much), and I was to meet him at the airport. As usual in this day and age, our 3:45 CO flight EWR-ORD was listed as delayed till 4:45pm. I got to the airport about 2:45, checked in and proceeded to wait and wait for my 'better half'. He shows up at 4:10pm, and we proceed to the PC. They tell him the flight (while still not in yet) is restricted to gate check in. We go to the gate where to my husbands surprise and great dismay, he is told "sorry, but when you didn't show up 20 minutes before the original stated flight time (x-delay), we gave your 8D seat away, and now the flight is completely oversold, so we have no room for you at all on that flight! , and can only put you on standby for the later one!!!
His complaints that the flight was delayed, and thats why he arrived late, fell on 'deaf ears'. Luckily, there was a EWR-MDW leaving at the next gate in 30 min that we were able to get on, and with my CO Platinum elite status get FC with a companion upgrade . So in the end it all worked out--but it could have turned out very differently.

I could have misunderstood all these years, but I have always taken 'twenty minutes before departure time' to mean 'twenty minutes before the scheduled departure time'. Thus delays always mean exactly that, with much consequential hanging about at the airport until the flight actually departed. Have I been missing a trick? It is certainly the case that I have seen 'one-hour delays' turn in to two-hour delays, or in to 20 minute delays.

You got it. A new departure time as the result of a delay is always an estimated time. Never assume the plane will leave sooner; the 20-minute rule doesn't assume this, either.

CO, in their defense uses the 20 minute rule on the 'originally scheduled' departure time.
Their assumption is that mircles do occur, checks do get sent in the mail, and Santa Claus is alive & well and flying CO! They told me another plane could have been subsitituted for our original 3:45, and in that case, the delay could have been moved up!

[This message has been edited by mauld (edited 08-18-2000).]

Mauld:
"CO, in their defense uses the 20 minute rule on the 'originally scheduled' departure time."

Does anyone know what the rule is on other airlines? I think I read in this board UA has the same policy, but im not 100% sure.

This brings up the issue, of advanced notification. For instance I get flight paging info to my cell phone, say I got word that a flight was going to be 2 hours late, there is no way I am going to show at the airport for the Original scheduled time, after all what is the purpose of this notification......?




[This message has been edited by DenverPlat (edited 08-18-2000).]

DenverPlat, that exactly was my husbands story, he (for some irrational, unknown reason) didn't want to sit and wait at the airport for 2 plus hours!

I called UA last month and was assured they would hold my seat until 20 minutes before the NEW scheduled departure time, 90 minutes later. And they did.

I have had the same experience with AA on delayed flights. They hold my reservation when there is a delay. I understand that is the policy at AA, at least with the "elites".

But, I still worry. I don't like to leave things to chance. The gate agent may be having a bad day.

I recall UACHRIS a UA res. agent on UA board said 4pm flight means all not checked by 20 to 4 can legally have seats taken. And often do. The fact it does not LEAVE until 5 pm or 6pm is just too bad (for us!)

Thats why UA just offered all 1P and 1K members TRIPLE points til year end to apologise!

Me, I said THANKS United! I make 60,000 points extra bonus, and have had no delays. (Yet!)

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~ Glen ~

What is 1P status? I assume that it is Premier Executive. What would Premier be? 0P ?

1K would be Premier Executive 1K, of course.

Premier is 2P. Learned that from the UA Board