Flights are almost always overbooked on expectations of a certain percentage of cancellations and no-shows
So if the flight is full and there is no more room, it will depart early.
‘They boarded and left 15 minutes early’: Delta passenger’s missed flight is a lesson for all travelers
A Delta passenger says he missed his flight after boarding ended earlier than expected and without any app notifications or gate announcements warning him.
Natalie DiScala
How many passengers are standing in line? As many as will fit on the plane, they usher them in and take off as soon as all the seats are taken.
I am very skeptical of stories of airplanes actually taking off early with empty seats and no last calls.
If your scheduled flight has departed early, customer service will be pleased to “bump” you on the next available flight.
The sooner they leave, the sooner they come back and the more passengers they can carry per day.