denied boarding
 

My son, his wife, small child and infant were denied boarding on a domestic flight out of Dulles (Wash D.C.) After a very long wait on line, they finally reached the check - in counter 42 minutes before flight time. The reason given for denial was the TSA locks the computers 45 minutes before flight time for secutity reasons and there was nothing the airline could do. I haven't heard of this. Does anyone know if that is true. The airlines website says that boarding passes must be obtained no more than 30 minutes before flight time, not 45.

I don't know about locking the computers but I just heard of someone who arrived 5 minutes after the posted check in time and was denied access. The plane was still there--don't know if the door was open or not. Airlines take their on time departure VERY seriously so I don't really doubt this at all. Don't know if it makes sense if they were actually in the line. I haven't ever seen anyone denied for that reason. I have seen it a number of times if the door to the jetway has been closed.

I remember something about 60 minutes for international, 30 minutes for domestic.

I have clients who arrived at the ticket counter for Delta just less than an hour before departure (thanks to the interstate being closed due to an accident). After standing in the line for about 10 minutes, they announced that anyone going to their destination couldn't board as the line for security was too long to allow them to get to the gate.

If you watch Airlines on A&E, you see it happen all the time. If you are not AT the gate by the time they say (even 1 minute late is too late), they will give away your seats.

As for this incident, I'm not sure since there is a conflict in the stated time frame. Unfortunately, in the end, if they say you don't get to board, you don't get to board period (regardless of their reasons). I wonder if the plane was filled and they had a large standby list? I think they might "push" that time frame a bit in that case to make room for the standby's).

I tried to find the rules on TSA website, unsuccessfully.

On Southwest website: "At 20 minutes prior to scheduled departure you can get a boarding pass only at the Departure Gate."

So maybe each airline has their own cut-off time, not TSA?

As for the "reason given" the agents can say anything!

This is why it is a good idea to arrive early.

Yes, this happens often.

Some airlines have different cut-off times for different airports, so that may explain the 30 minutes vs. 45 in the OP's situation. I've not heard of the TSA computer lockdown reason before.

This is the primary reason I always utilize online checkin and print out boarding pass at home. Regardless of when I show up at the gate I am logged into the computers as checked in well in advance.

I just have to be on the plane by the time they close the door, not a second sooner and I'm ok. And I've come very, very close...

If I'm on the road, I still checkin online, then just reprint my boarding pass at the airport.

Hi Faina, I thought (maybe incorrectly) that you had to have your boarding pass to get through security. If that is so how do you get through security without the boarding pass? But like I said maybe I am wrong. Take care.

Thanks for the thoughtful replies. My son's family was there plenty early but the line was extraordinarily slow. A lot of passengers seemed to have issues. The people in front of them got on. It seems to me that a family with a 5 year old and an infant should get some sort of consideration. It was the last flight of the day to their destination which means they would have been stranded overnight. The airline did not know it but lucky for them they live near the airport and were able to leave the next day.

American Airlines check in counters have signs all over the place that say 45 minutes prior.

We've cut it close before.

Sorry, OP, that situation stinks! I feel sorry for your son and his family.

Well - they really weren't there in plenty of time if they didn;t get to the agent in time. Many airlines require you arrive at the desk (not at the airport and not on line) 3 hours in advance for international flights and 2 for domestic. Naturally they ralize not everyone will do this - but it prevents everyone arriving 15 minutes before the final time - which would delay boarding - and they WON'T do that.

Separately, I know people with children/infants often think they deserve special treatment because traveling with kids is more difficult. But, if you decide to travel with kids the YOU need to take extradordinary precauations - not expect everyone else to change the rules to accommodate you.

(IMHO this is like the bumper sticker telling other drivers to be careful because you have a baby on board. If you're the one with the baby then you should be takig the extra care - since it's your baby.)

And don;t get me wrong - I have nothing against children. But I do resent people who think they deserve extra attention with kids - after all they're already getting free or discount seats.

What time did they actually join the end of the line? Airlines recommend to be at the airport anywhere from 90 min. to 120 min. before the flight, and for people with checked luggage they stipulate pretty uniformly 30 minutes before the flight, for actually checking in, meaning being at the agents station and concluding the transaction, not getting to the agent or getting off the airport bus.

Every airline has a list of airports where more time is prescribed. Dulles is one of those.

Just one example - United:
For travel within the U.S., we recommend arriving 60 minutes before your flight if you are not checking bags and 90 minutes before your flight if you are checking bags.
•Baggage must be checked at the airport at least 30 minutes in advance of flight departure time except for the following airports which have a 45 minute cut-off time for baggage check-in:
• Atlanta, Georgia (ATL)
• Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT)
• Chicago, Illinois O'Hare (ORD)
• Denver, Colorado (DEN)
• Las Vegas, Nevada (LAS)
• Los Angeles, California (LAX)
• New York, New York John F. Kennedy (JFK)
• Orlando, Florida (MCO)
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PHL)
• Phoenix, Arizona (PHX)
• Sacramento, California (SMF)
• Seattle, Washington (SEA)
• San Francisco, California (SFO)
• Tampa, Florida (TPA)
• Washington DC Dulles International Airport (IAD)
If these time limits are not met, United will be excluded from liability.

Delta requires 30 min. for checked except 45 minutes at ATL, DEN, LAS, LAX, MCO and 60 min Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

With kids and the need to check bags at Dulles, it is not unreasonable to be there two hours before the flight. That gives you 75 minutes to get to the front.

NYTraveler, " Many airlines require you arrive at the desk (not at the airport and not on line) ... 2 hours for domestic."

Which airlines? I checked AA, United, USAir, Delta. All require 30 - 90 minutes. Only exception is AA flights departing Hawaii or USVI, which required 2 hours (are the baggage handlers on island time or what! :D).

It's all about the baggage. Even if you checkin online, if you don't present your baggage on time, then you're still out of luck. But it's not more than 60 minutes in almost every case I could find...

They do close the flight. I almost did not make it home from Brussels in July. They decided to open the flight back up for us, they were NOT happy with us. But I think because there were so many of us that were late.

The hotel did not give us our wake up call. It was not a good morning with 4o something of us running seriously late. At 5 minutes before take off time there were 10 of us that were not even checked in yet.

They yelled at us in a few languages, I'll tell you that. The signs clearly said that they stopped boarding the flight at 30 minutes before take off. I was having a heart attack.

This did happen to me at Tampa. I was denied baording. We got caught up in a terrential rain storm, and behind an accident. We got to the airport too late. Forty minutes before, denied boarding.

Back in the olden days before Continental virtually folded, they were trying hard to reach and maintain the #1 position for "on time departures". I (and many others) got left while we were standing in line to board with boarding passes in hand. I was shocked! They were very clear that they preferred for the plane to push back on time with or without passengers. It was the last time I flew Continental.

Nowadays, they would not be able to do that because there can't be luggage on board that does not match with an onboard passenger.

BTW, many years later I was at a B&B outside of Athens, GA when I saw a plaque on the owner's bookshelf. I asked, and he was operations manager for Cont. at Hartsfield at the time. He was bragging - and I gave him an earful! He was still proud of that "achievement".

If you are checking bags and you aren't cleared by the cut-off time, you are out of luck - kids or no kids. I rarely carry my bags on, but advanced online check-in with boarding passes printed out by kiosks have saved me more than once since 9/11. You are indeed "checked in" once the boarding pass is printed, and if you aren't checking bags you have until push back to board the plane.

That's horrible! Dulles is awful. Mid-afternoon and evenings are really bad, esp. with United. Usually, they begin calling people out of the line so they can make it on time, so I'm a little disappointed they didn't do that in your son's case. In my opinion, it's the airline's fault they didn't make the flight, so I'd ask for some sort of compensation.

Looking at Dulles airport website, it states:

&quot;<b>Advice for passengers about wait times in the Main Terminal</b>
Please arrive early for your flight: 2 hours for domestic flights and 3 hours for international flights, especially during these busiest times in the Main Terminal:
5:30am - 8:00am
11:00am - 1:00pm
4:30pm - 6:30pm&quot;

I certainly agree about personal responsibility, and the website recommended arriving 60-90 minutes early, but the fact is that they were there within that time period and the airline's website also says that check-in must take place no less than 30 minutes before flight time and they met that published standard. What bothers me is telling them that the computer locks out at exactly 45 minutes before the flight, so it is just too bad, sorry. I don't think that is true and I have not heard anything different. Honesty counts! If they overbooked and gave away the seats, don't lie about it. Of course if they told the truth they would have to take some responsibility.

I don't understand. Who do you think is lying?

It happens often - especially when the line to check in is extremely long. If there isn't time to get the bags checked in and on the plane, you don't get to board. Period.

starrsville - the airline blamed TSA - that the computer lockout at 45 minutes before the flight is mandated by TSA for security. Not lack of time to check in bags or anything else. If TSA really does mandate a 45 minute cut off, then why does the airline's own website cite a 30 minute cut off. The focus of my original post was to ask if anyone has heard of this TSA rule. I can't find it on TSA's site.

Is there a possiblity that the airport traffic at any given time of day on any given day impacts the cut-off time?

I do believe the &quot;cut off&quot; time stated at the check-in counter was baggage related. I do believe that if the traveling party was not checking bags, they still had time to get on the plane.

At least two of us have described the cut-off if a) there is not enough time for you to check bags and b) not at the gate in time sans bags.

I would imagine the statement that &quot;the TSA locks computers 45 minutes before flight time for security reason&quot; is a reflection of the amount of time it will take at that time on that day for any checked bags to clear security and be loaded on the plane. I would imagine the amount of time would fluctuate based on a wide range of variables. I do not think the agent &quot;lied&quot; to the traveling party.

I googled &quot;TSA cut off time boarding&quot; and one option was the American Airlines website. The following is from their website. So, in writing, AA says the &quot;cut off time&quot; is 40 minutes at Dulles - every day of the year. Wally's source (cited earlier) says 45 minutes at Dulles.

It sounds like the traveling party was told the truth, i.e. no lying.

Baggage acceptance cutoff times mean that customers must present themselves and their baggage to an airline representative for check-in no later than the stated cutoff times for the departure airport.

Standard baggage cutoff is 30 minutes prior to departure for flights departing the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands with the following exceptions:
Atlanta, Georgia (ATL) 40 minutes
Chicago O'Hare, Illinois (ORD) 40 minutes
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas (DFW) 40 minutes
Denver, Colorado (DEN) 45 minutes
Las Vegas, Nevada (LAS) 45 minutes
Los Angeles, California (LAX) 45 minutes
Miami, Florida (MIA) 45 minutes
Newark, New Jersey (EWR) 40 minutes
New York JFK, New York (JFK) 45 minutes
Orlando, Florida (MCO) 40 minutes
San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) 40 minutes
St. Croix, U.S Virgin Islands (STX) 45 minutes
St. Thomas, U.S Virgin Islands (STT) 45 minutes
Washington Dulles, District of Columbia (IAD) 40 minutes

Do you then get a free ticket like you were bumped?

Aren't those cut off times exactly why most airports recommend you arrive 2-3 hours prior to your flight time? To make sure you don't hit the deadline while standing in security?

wsoxrebel, you get the opportunity to be booked on the next AVAILABLE flight. Depending on the the airport, airline and flight schedule, that can be a very long wait :-(

They weren't bumped. They didn't get there on time. The airline isn't responsible.

Several years ago, before 9/11, we were in an exceptionally and unusually long line at the United counter in San Diego. We were checking in for an international flight, connecting at LAX. It was getting close to our departure time and we were still a long way from the counter, and we had arrived two and a half hours before departure. United had staff walking the line pulling people out to get them checked in so they wouldn't miss their flight. We just made ours, which was full of people who had checked in outside, but we couldn't do that because our bags had to be checked at the counter. It was not a fun experience, but sometimes stuff happens.

Which airline was it?

Now I have it--it was the baggage check in counter that was locked out. I believe that. It isn't a question of overbooking or giving the seats away. The baggage can't be screened and make it to the plane. Well, maybe it could but they have chosen a &quot;time&quot;. I have been close sometimes and the skycaps are checking to see if it will make it.
As for standbys, believe me they aren't given seats until the LAST minute and if they are on the plane and if the door is still open to the jetway and a ticketed passenger shows up, some standby is coming OFF that plane.
And there is a difference between a 45 minute cutoff for checking luggage and 30 minutes for getting on the plane. Two different time constraints by two different entities.
I wouldn't be trying to check baggage at a SMALL airport 42 minutes before FLIGHT time. That is when you need to be standing in front of the jetway or ON the plane.
&quot;Flight time&quot; means &quot;in your seat, doors closed, pushing back from the gate&quot; in airline parlance.
These folks lived TOO close to the airport, I think.

All good and reasonable points and I certainly do not disagree. It would have been nice though if the the airline called people out of line as several posters have mentioned - the airline didn't. They were on line as mentioned about 60-90 minutes before as suggested on the airline's web site. Missed the cut off by 3 minutes. That brings up another point. When there are chronic problems at certain times in getting people checked in on time for a specific airline at a particular airport, shouldn't the airline increase its check in staff, particularly when there are unused check in stations. My sister worked for a foreign airline for many years and that is what that airline did - she supervised the loading of planes. Some who had other jobs were cross trained to do check in if necessary. What if anything is being done to increase capacity? I realize that the problem may well be behind the scenes in screening and loading. Also as anyone who has been there will attest, Dulles is one of the worst airports around.

I think perhaps the airlines have a kind of logic in whether to pull someone out of line - what will cause less disruption at the airport.

If the three persons who get pulled out of line are travelling with 5 other adults who will still make it on that plane, which is worse - 8 adults screaming at the counter or 2 adults screaming at the counter?

It's also possible that they figured your son was a reasonable enough guy not to throw a fit and that he was a safer bet than the &quot;unknown&quot; character currently in line.

In hindsight, I think it worked out OK. Your son and family lived close enough to the airport that they could go home and sleep in their own beds. If the airline had bumped 3 other passengers (to provide room for son, wife and 5 year old), those 3 people may have been stuck sleeping at the airport that night.

In my experience with United, they walked down the line asking for passengers for specific flights. They certainly were not looking for people they thought were going to have tantrums.

&lt;&quot; It seems to me that a family with a 5 year old and an infant should get some sort of consideration&quot;&gt;

Why?

What's with the pulling people out of line thing. We have been at CDG when there was a bomb scare that shut down ALL the portals. When they reopened it was a real mess, and yes, they were announcing that such and such a flight was close to departure time and please come forward ahead of others who were later flights.

Another good option is curb side checkin. Since many airlines implemented a $2/bag fee lines tend to be much shorter. I'm always amazed that people will spend $100's or $1000's on a vacation, not leave enough time at the airport, wait in a long, long line (like op's son), but not be willing to spend $10 or less for curbside checkin.

It's also amazing what a $20 tip will do to get you special service as well. Crowded airport, long line to get your checked bags x-ray'd, etc. If you treat them right these guys will help you blow past lines.

That and online checkin should mean that nobody needs to wait in a long line for an agent or be late getting a boarding pass.

You can't do curbside check-in when you're flying internationally.

Depends on how much you tip :)

You are correct, the skycap cannot print out boarding passes outside - must be done by agent inside.

But skycap certainly can take you any your bags right around any line inside, to his buddy or sweetheart working behind the desk inside.

That's one thing I love about the capitalist mindset.

I've not tried this with any foreign airline, but it's worked quite well on AA.

Lesson to be learn: GET THERE ON TIME. And it doesn't matter if it's just you and your spouse or you, your spouse and 10 kids. It is YOUR responsibility to arrive in the proper time!

Yes - it would be nice if the airlines had more staff so all the lines moved faster. But that doesnp;t mesh with having the lowest costs. You canhave convenience or low cost - the two don;t go together.

For instance, if you pay to go business of first the lines are shorter. but - no one wants to pay. (ALmost all these travlers are on corporate tickets.)

So - the only way to have shorter lines is to have more employees is to have higher ticket prices - which no one wants to pay.

Therefore - if you don;t want to pay for more expensive tickets - get to the airport early - not at 10 seconds before the cut off and hope for the best.

Joan - many airlines reco arrival much longer before the flight. It's different for each airline, each airport and each flight. (I've seen AA lines at O'Hare to check luggage that would easily take more than an hour to navigate - and that's out of your time - not theirs.)

nytraveler,

Many airlines no longer offer discounts on children's seats. The only &quot;extra&quot; most families receive is pre-boarding.