Overnight flight change with short notice - any recourse?

[Yonah]

My son had a flight this morning scheduled to fly out at 5:45 am. Last night at 10, we got an e-mail from Delta saying the flight was delayed until 9:30am this morning. So we went to bed, assuming that we'd get up at a regular time, and take him to the airport. My wife woke up at 3am, to discover an e-mail from delta that was sent at 2am that the flight was back on for 5:45.

Thankfully, we made it to the airport okay - only to get another e-mail in the airport that the flight was delayed to 6:30am.

Seeing that we got the 2am e-mail for a 5:45am flight, do we have any recourse from delta? Is it worth calling/writing a letter?

[mileagejunkie]

My son had a flight this morning scheduled to fly out at 5:45 am. Last night at 10, we got an e-mail from Delta saying the flight was delayed until 9:30am this morning. So we went to bed, assuming that we'd get up at a regular time, and take him to the airport. My wife woke up at 3am, to discover an e-mail from delta that was sent at 2am that the flight was back on for 5:45.

Thankfully, we made it to the airport okay - only to get another e-mail in the airport that the flight was delayed to 6:30am.

Seeing that we got the 2am e-mail for a 5:45am flight, do we have any recourse from delta? Is it worth calling/writing a letter?

So your son flight was delayed 45 minutes and he most likely landed with a minimal delay? I understand that the scheduling, but they don’t owe you anything.

[BarryLincoln]

Despite the emails that you received, airlines will always tell you to be at the gate based on the scheduled departure time.  That generally absolves them of future obligations.  You can certainly try to write them a letter/email, but it's doubtful you'll get anywhere...

[ludmila]

Despite the emails that you received, airlines will always tell you to be at the gate based on the scheduled departure time.  That generally absolves them of future obligations.  You can certainly try to write them a letter/email, but it's doubtful you'll get anywhere...

+1 Unfortunately no.

[Yonah]

Thanks to everyone for their responses - my son mentioned that he only had 12 people on this flight - which means that a lot of them are probably complaining about the overnight e-mail.

[ExGingi]

Thanks to everyone for their responses - my son mentioned that he only had 12 people on this flight - which means that a lot of them are probably complaining about the overnight e-mail.

Well, at least he had plenty of empty seats available to stretch out.

[gingyguy]

Thanks to everyone for their responses - my son mentioned that he only had 12 people on this flight - which means that a lot of them are probably complaining about the overnight e-mail.

not as good as that guy that just got the whole plane to himself!

[ExGingi]

not as good as that guy that just got the whole plane to himself!

Not necessarily. How many seats can one stretch out on? How much attention can one get from a flight attendant? At some point, one reaches the point of diminishing returns on marginalized improvements.

In any event, he definitely had it much better than all those that understood that the flight time really changed, and now will have to go on alternative flights which are likely to be very full.

[NTorch]

Despite the emails that you received, airlines will always tell you to be at the gate based on the scheduled departure time.  That generally absolves them of future obligations.  You can certainly try to write them a letter/email, but it's doubtful you'll get anywhere...

Seems like this happens with every airline, domestic and international and they always include that disclaimer.

[username]

PSA:
Mentioned elsewhere, but if you have a late flight and it gets delayed, the guys at the counter still go home at their regular scheduled time, so if you arrive late, there may be nobody there to check your luggage.