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 "cut off" 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 "the TSA locks computers 45 minutes before flight time for security reason" 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 "lied" to the traveling party.

I googled "TSA cut off time boarding" and one option was the American Airlines website. The following is from their website. So, in writing, AA says the "cut off time" 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 "time". 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.
"Flight time" means "in your seat, doors closed, pushing back from the gate" 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 "unknown" 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.

<" It seems to me that a family with a 5 year old and an infant should get some sort of consideration">

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 "extra" most families receive is pre-boarding.