Departure time may change, so please be at gate prior to original scheduled departure
Mar 12, 2012, 6:32 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,236
Departure time may change, so please be at gate prior to original scheduled departure
Good example of when this advice is actually helpful.
UA 4524 on March 11th GSO-EWR. Got email informing of ATC delay (including the notice in the title), followed by delay notice on monitors in the airport. Original departure time of 2:34pm now 3:19pm. Several passengers wander off. Incoming flight arrives early. Pilot walks off the plane around 2:10pm and asks the GA, "Why the delay?" She replies, "ATC." He says, "No, that delay was cancelled; let's get going." GA boards flight, and the nearly full flight is only about 75% occupied. I kept checking my phone and noticed that UA never updated the Web site (or presumably the airport monitors). The pilot announced that we were ready to leave 10 minutes early, but "we're still trying to locate several passengers." One passenger in the back actually yelled "Leave 'em!" The last few passengers to straggle on actually got a few "boo's."
We left close to on time and arrived EWR 6 minutes early. I think if we were close to losing our take off slot, I would have been yelling "Leave 'em!" also. Does UA have any obligation to go look for you if leave the area?
UA 4524 on March 11th GSO-EWR. Got email informing of ATC delay (including the notice in the title), followed by delay notice on monitors in the airport. Original departure time of 2:34pm now 3:19pm. Several passengers wander off. Incoming flight arrives early. Pilot walks off the plane around 2:10pm and asks the GA, "Why the delay?" She replies, "ATC." He says, "No, that delay was cancelled; let's get going." GA boards flight, and the nearly full flight is only about 75% occupied. I kept checking my phone and noticed that UA never updated the Web site (or presumably the airport monitors). The pilot announced that we were ready to leave 10 minutes early, but "we're still trying to locate several passengers." One passenger in the back actually yelled "Leave 'em!" The last few passengers to straggle on actually got a few "boo's."
We left close to on time and arrived EWR 6 minutes early. I think if we were close to losing our take off slot, I would have been yelling "Leave 'em!" also. Does UA have any obligation to go look for you if leave the area?
Mar 12, 2012, 8:48 am
#2
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,136
Yes, I've had this happen before, too. The most memorable was a much-delayed ROA-IAD flight, where they announced around 4pm an ATC hold until 7pm (this was a scheduled 2pm flight) but advised people to stay near the airport if not near the gate itself as things could rapidly change.
At 4:30pm, they announced boarding due to a change in ATC clearances, and we took off by 5:00pm... light about 50% of the pax. I know some had gotten moved to other flights to try to get them to international connections, but the majority had probably wandered off to grab some dinner somewhere other than at the airport's skimpy cafe.
At 4:30pm, they announced boarding due to a change in ATC clearances, and we took off by 5:00pm... light about 50% of the pax. I know some had gotten moved to other flights to try to get them to international connections, but the majority had probably wandered off to grab some dinner somewhere other than at the airport's skimpy cafe.