Quantcast

Delta's early departures cause disruptions for travelers

American Testing Tech to Help Passengers Make Connecting Flights
Why fuel price crash won’t make flying cheaper
Kristi Noem says travelers without Real ID will still be able to fly after deadline
Frontier Airlines Announces New Routes Launching This Summer, Connecting Baltimore With Chicago O’Hare and Trenton, N.J. With Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Airlines in North America prioritize investments in cyber, AI
Global Airlines & HiFly Operate 1st Passenger Airbus A380 Flight Between Barcelona And Berlin
American Airlines unveils ritzy new plane suites launching this summer
Airline Stocks To Keep An Eye On - April 28th
50 New Routes Starting In May 2025
Report: JetBlue, United Mulling Partnership
New First-Class Suites, Futuristic Aircraft and the Top Air Travel News From April 2025
Southwest Airlines Announces Reimagined Fare Products, New Benefits for Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers and Tier Member Customers
New Alaska Airlines trading cards take flight this World Pilots’ Day - Alaska Airlines News
United CEO calls Trump's tariffs a 'chess game'
Virtual Training Becomes a Reality
Korean Air Restarts Longest 747 Passenger Flight in the World
Flight tickets from Srinagar remain exorbitantly high despite aviation ministry request
RTX Q1 Earnings & Sales Beat Estimates, Increase Year Over Year
Delta faces federal investigation as it scraps hundreds of flights for fifth straight day
Coalition pledges to remove EV tax break two days after Dutton ruled out scrapping it – as it happened
Adani’s airport unit seeks $750 million loan from global banks
GE Aerospace affirms outlook; CEO met with Trump to discuss tariffs
Flight made emergency landing in Denver after reported animal strike and engine fire
General Dynamics says G800 jet receives FAA, EASA certifications
Archer unveils plans for NYC air-taxi network in partnership with United Airlines
United Airlines doubles down on Chicago roots with new O'Hare billboards
ICAO Proposes ‘Journey Pass’ Biometric ID Boarding
Gatwick airport strikes, Easter 2025: will my flight be cancelled?
Boarding passes and check-in could be scrapped in air travel shake-up
The most in Mexico: American Airlines adds 30th destination as part of a record-breaking schedule
Delta's early departures cause disruptions for travelers
Research
Webp p18pueyozwbyaegyt1fzg7i1qaau
View from the Wing | View from the Wing

Flight delays are a common inconvenience for travelers, with rolling delays adding to the frustration. Sometimes, airlines face unpredictable situations such as delayed inbound aircraft or unforeseen mechanical issues that prolong repairs. These scenarios, while inconvenient, are often understandable.

However, what passengers find particularly frustrating is when an airline is aware that a departure time is unfeasible but fails to update it until the last moment. "You’re standing at the gate 15 minutes to scheduled departure and boarding hasn’t started yet because the plane isn’t there yet the flight still shows as departing on-time," one traveler expressed. This lack of timely communication can leave passengers feeling stranded and unable to make alternative plans.

Equally problematic, if not more so, are early departures. Passengers plan their airport arrival based on published schedules; any deviation from these times can result in missed flights. A frequent flyer shared their annoyance: "I especially hate when airlines publish delays – give new departure times – and then move flights back to their original departure time (or something in between)."

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Gates typically close 10 minutes before departure, requiring passengers to be present in the gate area at least 15 minutes prior. When airlines alter these reference points without sufficient notice, customers can miss their flights. One Delta passenger noted that even a slight change of five minutes could have significant repercussions: "Delta seems to do this more than other airlines."

The impact of these changes goes beyond mere inconvenience. The same traveler highlighted how minor schedule adjustments could disrupt travel plans significantly: "While it’s ‘only’ 5 minutes, it means that they’re effectively changing the contract of carriage to 15 and 20 minutes, respectively." Such alterations can mean missing a flight simply because one decided to grab a coffee.

This issue raises questions about the reliability of published departure times and whether passengers can truly depend on them for planning their travel.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Star Alliance has been named the World's Best Airline Alliance at the 2025 Skytrax Awards.

Jul 12, 2025

SAS and Air France have applied for a codeshare network covering ten U.S. destinations, including New York's JFK and Los Angeles' LAX.

Jul 12, 2025

Aviation analytics firm Cirium has released its June 2025 On-Time Performance (OTP) report, which analyzes global punctuality trends among airlines and airports.

Jul 12, 2025

United Airlines is set to resume flights to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport on July 21, 2025.

Jul 12, 2025

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport experienced significant growth in 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic passenger numbers.

Jul 12, 2025

Emirates' fleet currently includes 253 widebody aircraft, with the addition of eight Airbus A350-900s.

Jul 12, 2025