Opinion: fine passengers who are ‘late to the gate’

Why should passengers who have checked in get away with delaying flights because they’re too busy shopping in duty free or drinking at the airport bar, asks Sue Hayward.

We've all been there.

You get to the departure gate on time, only to be delayed by late passengers who’ve made a last dash to duty free or not checked how long it takes to walk to the gate.

It’s so frustrating and happened to me last week when I was sat on board a packed plane at Dubai airport for the best part of an hour waiting for two tardy passengers.

With their bags on board, we couldn’t leave unless their luggage was offloaded.

One finally turned up – as the ground crew started a search for the other passenger’s bags.

And just as the bags had been found and off loaded, we were told the remaining passenger had finally arrived at the gate.

However, by then it was too late and we were off minus both the missing passenger and their bags.

Time to introduce penalties

I’d like to see late passengers fined if they’re ‘late to the gate’, unless there’s a very valid reason.

Bad manners and rudeness is what it usually boils down to and this behaviour holds up an entire planeload of passengers and crew.

We all know airports are big places and can be confusing at times.

Dubai and Hong Kong are so big they even use trains to shuttle passengers around, and even in the UK, according to ABTA, (the Travel Association), getting to the departure gates at airports like Stansted and Luton can mean walking distances of around half a mile.

But in most cases the time is takes to walk to the gate is flagged up so why not leave enough time?

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Delays can be costly

If you’re a no-show at the gate, “it’s a legal requirement to take your luggage off the aircraft”, says a spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority.

And the delay in having to hunt for the luggage and complete the relevant paperwork can be costly according to aviation analyst Alex Macheras.

“There are huge costs involved when airlines have to offload luggage and remove passengers from the manifest and it costs around £70 for every extra minute the aircraft is on the tarmac or stuck on the stand”.

What’s the penalty for being ‘late to the gate?’

At present there are no fines in place for being late, according to Macheras, but “some airlines have systems where they can put in ‘notes’ about passengers”, and if lateness is a regular occurrence, you could be banned from flying with that particular airline.

If you’re the late passenger, then depending on the circumstances, and airline, you may be looking at forking out for a brand new ticket if you still want to fly, and that’s providing there’s seats left on the next flight.

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What happens if you’re the one being offloaded?

There may of course be a genuine reason why you’ve checked in, dropped your bags but don’t get to the gate; say if you’re unwell or get an emergency call from home and need to cancel your travel plans. 

If this happens, let the airline and airport staff know so you can get medical help, or help retrieving your bags so you can leave the airport as quickly as possible and return home.

If your bags are offloaded, it’s usually the airline staff, (or their representatives), who will escort you back through security and to baggage reclaim to collect your luggage.

From there you can return home or speak to the airline desk within the airport if you’re hoping to get another flight.

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Airline policies on late arrivals

We asked several airlines what happens when passengers are late to the gate.

Easyjet

“If a passenger is not at the gate 30 minutes prior to departure and has checked bags we will begin the process of removing the bags from the hold”, says an easyJet spokesperson.

And if you bowl up while your bags are being taken off it’s an “operational decision between the Captain and ground staff over whether the passenger can board the flight or not”.

Virgin Atlantic

If you don’t get to the gate on time, Virgin Atlantic say it will offload your bags and assist you back through security to retrieve your them.

“Our airport teams can rebook a customer on the next available flight”, says a spokesperson, “but, depending on their ticket, this may incur a ‘change’ fee or the difference in fare”.

British Airways

British Airways say it’s usually the ‘turnaround’ manager who makes the decision over whether to off load the bags if someone’s late to the gate as they’re responsible for ensuring the flight leaves on time.

If you’re late, you’ll be given help getting your luggage back and booking another flight. However, whether you have to pay for a new ticket will depend on the circumstances.

Ryanair

The terms and conditions on Ryanair’s website are very clear stating you must “be at the boarding gate at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled departure”, with the boarding closing 20 minutes prior to departure.

Arrive any later and you won’t be able to travel and any costs for making and booking a new flight will be down to you.

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Read more on loveMONEY:

How to claim compensation for delayed flights 

Your rights when flights are overbooked

How to find cheap flights