Never on time departire

[ammercado190]

I have to fly at the very least 10 times in total on this air carrier per year. Each time I have a flight past 5pm we never get off the ground on time. I'm currently waiting at BWI to go to PVD and we haven't left even though our departure time was 7:50 pm. Here we are creeping up on another 20 minute delay because of baggage. It's always waiting on luggage or people. The delay time is always either 20 or 30 minutes each time which affects peoples ground transportation or connecting flights. How can this happen EVERYTIME I fly with you after 5pm any local time? Where is the disconnect on this? How does it get solved? Why does no one care?

[dfwskier]

Every seasoned traveler knows that he/she is more likely to run in to  the situation you describe later in the day..

Why? The planes have a whole day of flying to multiple cities - and any one of those flights could have an issue - which cascades towards delays at the end of the day.

If delays drive  you buggy, don't fly late in the day. Instead fly as early as you can -- before the issues cascade and cause delay problems later in the day.

[iamsandip]

I have flown southwest on my last 4/5 flights and it has never been on time. I have now taken a promise that I would never ever fly Southwest unless I really need to haul luggage from one place to another. 

[dfwskier]

Well, you have been unlucky. For 2022 YTD most airlines hover around having about 20% of their flights being delayed. So, you won't likely have much better luck on the other guy.

The later in the day a flight is, the greater the risk it will be delayed. A plane that leaves on time  at 6 am , and runs into a slight 10 am delay will likely see that delay get longer as the day progresses.

So, if you want to better your chances on not being delayed, take the first flight of the day.

[floridaguy]

I'm sure that Southwest will call an emergency board meeting and reorganize the entire company to address your 20-minute delayed flight.

[floridaguy]

My travel experiences are the opposite.  When you mention "departure time", are you noting the time that the plane leaves the gate?

The flights that I have flown nearly always arrive early so I cannot share your perceptions.