I didn't pay much attention to the airfare threads till I noticed

[Schwob]

Who would have guessed that Insel saved the day? We are now in Bonaire-sans luggage.

Wish you the luggage comes very, very soon...

 

[AdivingBel]

We arrive at gate which just closed even though it was 10 minuets from departure. Nobody would let us on. No begging or pleading would make them budge, even though the aircraft sat there for an additional 15 minutes.

I'm sorry for your situation and it sucks. Had the exact thing happen 2 years ago going to Roatan. Unfortunately Delta isn't the only culprit. It's seems to be standard procedure these days. Flying isn't what it used to be in a myriad of ways. I've figured the attitude into my travel plans since. If there are limited flights to my destination, I do my connection travel the day before and layover (not 2nd guessing your situation, just commiserating ). It's a pain in the a$$, but now days if you're not at the gate at the prescribed time your seat is already over-sold even if the delay is the airlines fault. Glad you made it to your destination and hope you enjoy the rest of your trip. Just another albeit irritating part of the adventure...right? Have fun diving.

 

[KeithG]

I'm sorry for your situation and it sucks. Had the exact thing happen 2 years ago going to Roatan. Unfortunately Delta isn't the only culprit. It's seems to be standard procedure these days. Flying isn't what it used to be in a myriad of ways. I've figured the attitude into my travel plans since. If there are limited flights to my destination, I do my connection travel the day before and layover (not 2nd guessing your situation, just commiserating ). It's a pain in the a$$, but now days if you're not at the gate at the prescribed time your seat is already over-sold even if the delay is the airlines fault. Glad you made it to your destination and hope you enjoy the rest of your trip. Just another albeit irritating part of the adventure...right? Have fun diving.

Since this thread seems to have morphed into the cancelled flight thread....

Over the weekend my flight home from central British Colombia was cancelled (3rd cancelation of the day) and we were rescheduled a day later. Yesterday noonish I heard on the radio that 420 flights had already been cancelled out of YVR.

Moral of the story: if you think you need it, buy proper trip insurance.

 

[AdivingBel]

Moral of the story: if you think you need it, buy proper trip insurance.

Trip insurance can certainly mitigate expenses after the fact and I'm all for that, but it doesn't replace my days in the sun lost trying to get to my tropical, far-flung destination. There was a time in the days of yore when a delayed flight meant arrival gate attendants waiting to help rush you to your departing gate, scooters w/blinking lights scurrying you down terminal wings, departing agents welcoming & waving you on to your flight with just enough time to sit down before they taxi from the gate. I actually recall an ovation on a flight when a couple made their connection after the flight attendants announced the flight was being held for them. Oh well...now we can all say it...Hey, you kids, get off my lawn.

 

[oldschoolto]

On my last flight to Bonaire on United we waited 10 minutes or so for people coming in on a connecting flight could get on the plane.. But, after reading this.. I'm changing my flight from Boston to Atlanta for the night before the Bonaire Delta flight ... I'm not trusting 55 minutes to make the trip through the airport... I'll spend the night in the United frequent flyer lounge drinking..

Jim...

 

[BDSC]

In the last couple of years I've had some bad luck with both Delta and American. At the time I said I'd not fly them again but saying that and following through with it are two different things. I have trips on both as I type.

Over the years I have learned that if I am going on a liveaboard, I always arrive a day early and relax at a local hotel. I also allow a minimum of two hours for connecting flights and even more than that is fine with me. I know some folks hate long layovers in airports and I'm no different. But I hate even more missing a flight and then having to scramble to put together some plan on what to do next.

Over the next few years we have some long distance trips going to the Solomons and Indonesia. Even though they are more than a year off, I spent a good amount of time yesterday looking at all sorts of options to get to those places. Perhaps we will all live long enough to see the time where they will just beam us from one place to the next.

 

[Kharon]

... I'm not trusting 55 minutes to make the trip through the airport... I'll spend the night in the United frequent flyer lounge drinking..

Jim...

I thought the United lounge closes at 10:00pm.

 

[Dan]

I thought the United lounge closes at 10:00pm.

At least in Honolulu airport (HNL) it does & it opens at 5:30am. I found it the hard way on 1/1/2018 & ended up sleeping on a bench

 

[wwguy]

Never again will i fly Delta! Yesterday we were 10 minuets late departing St. Louis due to some ice. When we landed in Atlanta the sky bridge issues took a good 20 minuets to allow us to disembark aircraft. We hustled to get to another terminal. I was told by a gate agent that connecting flight was notified. We arrive at gate which just closed even though it was 10 minuets from departure. Nobody would let us on. No begging or pleading would make them budge, even though the aircraft sat there for an additional 15 minutes. No other flights to Bonaire until next week. Our urgency was greeted by utter apathy. At present time we are in Aruba sans checked bags,at the mercy if Insel Airlines getting us to Bonaire.

As a frequent business traveler I know this is never fun, but it does happen fairly often. Delta (and most other airlines) require passengers to be at the gate 15 minutes before scheduled departure. This is detailed in the Contract Of Carriage (COC) associated with your ticket, as well as on Delta's website. United is a tad more strict in requiring passengers to be on the plane, rather than at the gate, 15 minutes before departure. While not applicable to Bonaire, Southwest is probably the most lenient at 10 minutes. None of them keep the door open for additional passengers right up to departure time.

I sympathize with your frustration, I've been there too several times, but Delta doesn't seem to be at fault here. Reading your post it appears that it was a combination of weather delay and booking a tight connection. All the other airlines will likely treat you similarly in a similar situation..

Glad to hear you made it to paradise anyway!

 

[oldschoolto]

I thought the United lounge closes at 10:00pm.

Don't....
Say that... I'm hiding in the bathroom...

Jim...