Recent Delta Departures

[patekatek]

We are scheduled for a 7 am departure on Saturday morning on Delta. Have any recent flyers seen delays at that time of morning that would require us to arrive 3 hours early for the flight? Every time I have flown from Bangkok on Delta in the past, I have been arriving 2 hours early and ended up sitting around for 1 1/2 hours. However, it's been a year since the last departure so I am curious if things look the same or is there some new procedure that is increasing the time to get ticketed and through security.

[taiwangirl]

The plane itself appears to be generally on time.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL585/history/20141106/2345Z/VTBS/RJAA

I fly alot out of BKK at that time (though not on Delta) and have not noticed any problems that would require you to be there 3 hours ahead of time. Immigration and security check have been pretty quick. If you are flying business class, you can go through the fast track line, but 50% of the time, the regular line is just as quick.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Given that taxis, for example, might have a flat tire or accident on the way to any airport, I like to arrive way early, don't mind the additional wait, better than the alternative.

Mac

[JenniferSG]

I took a 7am Delta international flight at the end of October. I got to the airport 3 hours early because I'm neurotic that way. Because it was 4am, the airport seemed fairly deserted. The lines were short or nonexistant. I bought some food (surprised that the shops on the way to the departure gate were open), camped out at the gate and went to sleep on a chair. About an hour before the flight LOTS of people had arrived and the flight was oversold, so some were not happy. Being that it was oversold, I was glad to have gotten there with plenty of time to spare. There was also a whole 2nd security check at the gate - which I hadn't seen before. A bonus was that taking a taxi at 330am I saw Bangkok with mostly emtpy streets, a first for me.

[taiwangirl]

There was also a whole 2nd security check at the gate - which I hadn't seen before.

I think it is an US FAA requirement that all US airlines have a secondary screening for security at the gate. It has happened to me only when flying US airlines.

[new2here]

There was also a whole 2nd security check at the gate - which I hadn't seen before.

I think it is an US FAA requirement that all US airlines have a secondary screening for security at the gate. It has happened to me only when flying US airlines.

Not exactly correct.

Each US flagged carrier (cargo and passenger 121/129's) must have an approved AOSSP, or Aircraft Operator Standard Security Program.

One part of this very large document addresses security at foreign ports, and what one carrier does of doesn't do can in fact be different.

Yes, the DHS - as a regulator - can order specific security measures be implemented at certain domestic or foreign ports, but largely security is addressed within the language of the carriers AOSSP.

Naturally the exact content of a carriers AOSSP isn't public domain as it's classified as SSI under 14 CFR 1520.

[taiwangirl]

There was also a whole 2nd security check at the gate - which I hadn't seen before.

I think it is an US FAA requirement that all US airlines have a secondary screening for security at the gate. It has happened to me only when flying US airlines.

Not exactly correct.

Each US flagged carrier (cargo and passenger 121/129's) must have an approved AOSSP, or Aircraft Operator Standard Security Program.

One part of this very large document addresses security at foreign ports, and what one carrier does of doesn't do can in fact be different.

Yes, the DHS - as a regulator - can order specific security measures be implemented at certain domestic or foreign ports, but largely security is addressed within the language of the carriers AOSSP.

Naturally the exact content of a carriers AOSSP isn't public domain as it's classified as SSI under 14 CFR 1520.

Interesting. Thanks for the background!