Flight leaves 30 minutes early at Riga Airport; travellers report similar experiences
A family at Riga Airport narrowly caught their flight after it departed 30 minutes ahead of schedule without any boarding announcement. Other passengers have shared similar incidents at airports in Latvia and abroad.
Travellers are usually aware that trips can involve misunderstandings and unforeseen situations, but the most important thing is to reach the destination in the first place. Obstacles range from expired passports and cancelled flights to passengers' own tardiness. LA.LV previously reported on buses leaving earlier than scheduled, but a plane taking off well ahead of time seems almost unbelievable.
A family experienced this at Riga Airport. On a Sunday afternoon, with only 45 minutes to departure and the mother planning to head to the gate in about 30 minutes, she noticed the words “Final call” on the departure board while throwing away an empty juice carton. The gate was nearby, and the family managed to board among the last passengers. The plane departed 30 minutes before its scheduled time, and there had been no announcement that boarding had started.
Other travellers have described similar situations in the comments. One passenger flying from Billund to Riga checked in on time, was told not to go anywhere, and was then called to the plane 45 minutes early; there were only two passengers and one flight attendant on board.
Another traveller mentioned that their last two flights involved unexpected passport control between EU countries, which was extremely slow, and one flight departed earlier. On one occasion, their name was called over the loudspeaker even though there were still 30–40 minutes before departure and they were already heading to the gate.
Another commenter says this happens quite often recently: boarding takes place at the gate or on buses, and by the time boarding is supposed to start, “Final call” is already announced. Passengers stand at the gate, but their tickets have already been checked. One person recalled twice getting stuck at a burger place at Warsaw airport on Friday evening, with the next flight to Riga only on Sunday, and no announcements were made across the airport.
Another commenter points out that gate closing time means boarding should be completed, and lately flights are on time, not just starting to board.
