From the classy corps at Consumerist comes word of an AirTran flight that, uh, forgot a few things…like some of their paying customers. It seems a young couple flying from Baltimore to Boston learned their AirTran flight was going to be delayed. But, being savvy fliers, they knew enough to get to the airport on-time anyway (as we all know by now, “delays” can and do change). When they got to the gate area, they learned, yes indeed, the flight was still delayed for 2-hours, so they walked down the airport corridor to get some wings (no pun intended). They sat where they could hear AirTran announcements. Guess what they heard?

They heard nothing. Wait…that’s not entirely true: they did hear a couple of AirTran boarding announcements, but not for their flight.

Anyway, they eventually wipe the wing sauce off their faces and stroll back to the gate. Still no plane. Wait…the plane did arrive, then took off. No announcement. And the couple in this story weren’t the only ones left behind.

But the stranded passengers never got any satisfactory explanation from the AirTran agent as to why no announcement was made…and no refund were forthcoming (and the people at American Express, the card the couple used for the flight and a hotel room they had to get due to missing their flight, weren’t a lot of help either).

Consumerist asked if anyone had advice for the couple.

Well…not a lot. Yes, AirTran should have made an announcement, but they didn’t. What I do when I’m told a plane is delayed is, ask the gate agent if they know for certain when the delayed flight will arrive; if they don’t, I stay put. And even if they say they “know” when it’ll come in, I don’t leave the gate area for long. The couple in this story spent at least half-an-hour with their wings; the problem is, a lot of things can change in that span of time.

Believe me, I’m not blaming the couple; it certainly appears that they were wronged. But that’s not much comfort when the flight has gone and left you.