I work for a low cost airline at Stansted as a Check In agent. I hope in my post to explain the "no you are too late" problem, offering an insight for those unfortunate enough to have experienced this problem. My points are made in no particular order:
1) The "Captains decision" as was talked about no doubt refers to the "loadsheet". This is legal document that the Captain must sign to certify that the aircraft has been loaded properly. Its compilation takes time and the information required for it is basically the unladen weight of the aircraft, the weight of the passengers, baggage, crew and cargo. These are added up produce the ZFW (zero fuel weight) for the flight. Based on the ZFW the exact fuel load is calculated (a heavier aircraft needs more fuel to fly the same distance as one that is lighter). The loadsheet also instructs the baggage handlers as to how many bags/cargo to put into each hold. It is vitally important that the load is spread equally so as to keep the aircraft in "trim", as if it is not the aircraft will not handle properly (serious safety issue). As you can see from the explanation the loadsheet is a quite complicated issue, hence time is required to do it and then take the associated actions. Information from the loadsheet is then used to calculate performance figures for the flight - ie take speeds and distances. So as you can see the loadsheet cant be completed until check in has been closed, and if check in is then re-opened the whole procedure must be redone, which equals delay and associated costs to airline and many passengers, not just the one person who is late at check in.
2) There is the issue of the time it takes to get from check in to the departure gate. This is due to the time it takes to get through security and at Stansted to then get on the train to the gates.
3) The point made about the Italian gentlemen with I believe it was LH who was stuck in a que, in my opinion, is poor practise by the airline concerned. With the airline I work for in the minutes leading up to closure of check in one of our supervisors will scour the que for any last passengers and bring them to the front, just like BA does at Heathrow.
4) As intimated at para 1, an airline has to draw a line in the sand after which it will no longer except any more passengers, whatever type of airline it is. Even if this was 10 mins before departure there would always be a time when someone turns up 8 minutes before and expects to still get on!
5) Passengers do have to take some responsibility for getting to the airport on time. Travel information is available from many sources to aid in planning journey time.
6) The issue regarding "take you bags and run to the gate" is a contentious one at the moment, following events last September. In airline speak these people are called LMC (last minute change) or HAG (have a go). Many airlines no longer allow this I believe as (please correct if I am wrong), some of those involved in 9/11 atrocities got onto the aircraft as LMC/HAG, taking advantage of the fact that because of the rushed nature of this procedure security would not have been handled so tightly in their case.
I hope this points go someway to explaining the situation thoroghly, would be great if a Pilot could elaborate on the "loadsheet/Captains decision" bit perhaps. Finally whenever you travel by air always check the terms & conditions, particularly check in time, baggage allowances, and allow plenty of time to get to the airport, park, find your check in area, que, check in, clear security and get to the gate.
Last edited by timzsta; 5th Jun 2002 at 21:24.