B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Workload; Time Pressure
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Weight And Balance
Human Factors; Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Company Policy
The flight was scheduled to depart at XB50. At approximately XA17; I pulled up Release 2 which indicated a plane switch and noticed that our departure gate had been reassigned. Release 2 also featured a dispatcher remark 'Call Dispatch for Brief.' Dispatcher and I discussed ZZZ's newly imposed arrival curfew. On this occasion; the scheduled departure time; strong head winds and the curfew only afforded our flight with a XC minute arrival window. Additionally; the flight was advertised as weight restricted. Dispatcher and I discussed that factor as well; noting the flight's topped-off fuel tanks. The center tanks were indicating full; with 8690 in each wing tank and the center tank was showing 29110; for a total of 46;500 pounds! Dispatcher and I reviewed options; including; but not limited to taking off early and diverting if necessary. I also asked him to send fuel; time and distance information for ZZZ1. Other than higher-than-normal headwinds; weather was never a concern regarding this flight. I arrived at the Gate early and waited for the Gate Agent. The first agent; who stated she was not the lead; checked me in; with the 'boarding' flight attendants in. The working flight attendants were arriving on an inbound flight. I stressed it was important to push early and that this flight faced a landing curfew. She mentioned that everyone was checked in and only a handful of passengers were connecting; but none seemed to have close connections. I performed the appropriate cockpit setup activities prior to the First Officer arriving. The working flight attendants; who boarded before passengers arrived; requested a new seat cushion; which was registered in the [logbook] and a mechanic provided the new seat cushion with a new maintenance release document arriving well within our constricted time frame. It appeared the flight was going to depart almost on time. All doors and access panels were closed and we had verbal communication with the ground crew when I released the brake at XB49; one minute prior to our scheduled departure time.Our first indication that this was not going to be a normal flight was when the Ramper on the headset told me he was instructed not to push the plane and that I was to call operations regarding adding bags. (In my opinion; this was not the time to consider adding bags on a weight restricted flight with a tight curfew. Any bag; cargo and passenger weight and balance issues should have been ironed out well before the flight crew arrived to the airplane.) Nevertheless; I contacted Operations which stated that they were working on a 'plan' to add passengers and baggage and possibly change our destination to ZZZ1. I stressed that our flight had a tight window to make the curfew and the woman on the other end of the radio instructed me to contact Dispatch; and that our flight was probably going to be re-routed to ZZZ1. Dispatch was aware that there may be a change in our payload; but no one in operations nor dispatch could tell me why our properly planned flight was now changing at the last minute. Nor could either party tell me what to tell the passengers or how they were going to be delivered to [the original destination] with their luggage. I made a PA at approximately XC05 stating we were still at the gate waiting for additional bags and passengers. At XC06 the main cabin door was opened.In the meantime; my discussion with Dispatch continued and he wanted to flight plan our flight to ZZZ2 to add fuel which would allow the flight to continue to ZZZ1. I asked if we couldn't go into ZZZ3 instead; a little further along our flight; before refueling. Dispatch told me that the weather in ZZZ3 was not conducive to a quick re-fueling turn. I never checked out the weather in ZZZ3; but the enroute weather did not reveal any weather there that could impact our flight. I then suggested ZZZ4; which the Dispatcher agreed would provide good weather and a relatively easy operation to get fuel and paperwork.The call was terminated before any decisions were made; since Dispatch seemed to have to find out what 'they' wanted to do. I was never informed who 'they' were.Meanwhile; I made an announcement to the passengers that we were adding bags and we may not be able to make it into ZZZ before the landing curfew. Additionally; I told them that we did not have additional information at that time; but I would provide it to them as it became available. Regarding the additional bags; my First Officer reported that there were indeed three carts filled with bags. He saw NO ONE putting the bags on the plane at that time. The worst part of this growing situation was that there were no answers; no explanations and we couldn't tell our passengers where we were going to land! In my opinion; [the company] looked like a sub-par operation at that point - a major airline with a fully loaded aircraft with no information on where and when we were going to land.About XC45; I called the Duty Manager; asking for immediate assistance. The Duty Manger; seemed to be informed; but noted that there appeared to be confusing directions from operations in ZZZ2. At this time; we still didn't have any answers on where we were taking a plane-load of passengers and bags. I asked that she oversee hotel information for both the pilots and the flight attendants and relay such information prior to landing in ZZZ1. How we were getting to ZZZ1 was an unresolved issue at that point.Approximately XC50; Operations told us that we would be flying to ZZZ4 for a fuel stop and then we would head onto ZZZ1. I asked that a gate agent supervisor come down to make an announcement to the passengers; and give them options. The passengers had already been onboard for more than an hour at this point. I asked operations to send a Gate Agent Supervisor; but one never came to the gate; or the jetway at least. Three gate agents eventually made various announcements to the passengers regarding our plans to fly to ZZZ2 for fuel and then onto ZZZ1 where they would collect their bags and take a bus to ZZZ. Numerous passengers appeared to be upset. In my years working in various airline operations; I have NEVER been so embarrassed and ill-prepared in providing answers to my passengers. The lack of information from Ops was humiliating; disempowering and most importantly; very disrespectful to our paying passengers; not to mention the undue stress it was placing on our frontline crew members. The gate agents provided little to no relief. At one point a young woman asked the gate agent if she got off the flight and was rebooked; would she get either a hotel voucher or the $1;000 voucher that was previously being offered at the gate. The gate agent informed her that he was unable to provide her with anything other than accommodations on a flight the next day. A woman in a military uniform approached the front of the aircraft saying she and several others HAD to report to their commanding officer no later than 0600 [the next day]. I assured her she would be in ZZZ1 in time for her to get to ZZZ by her deadline.Duty Manager called back and patched me through to the Customer Service manager. I told him we needed to do something for the passengers. He replied that he would send to our flight via ACARS a message that the Flight Attendants could read to the passengers instructing them how to received 'severe compensation.' At that time; a little before XC00; I contacted Dispatch who had just completed Release 3; with ZZZ4 as our new destination. The Takeoff Weight (TOW) was listed; the original planned weight. Around the same time; a gate agent ran on board; told everyone to sit down and that the plane was leaving NOW. I told her NOT to close the main cabin door as we were just in the process of downloading our new release to ZZZ4. By XB30; the flight crew announced we were ready to close and begin our journey to ZZZ4. In the haste and confusion which mounted for the previous 2 hours; the gate agent failed to give me the 'security' paperwork; and I failed to ask her for it. After pushback; we noted that the Zero Fuel Weight (ZFW) was very similar to the previous ones and asked Dispatch to send Release 4 to our ACARS printer with the updated weights. We took off at XC00; for our flight to ZZZ4; with no further answers for the Flight Attendants and the passengers. Numerous ACARS messages were passed through the flight; including several asking for the Flight Attendant hotel information (which we never received) and a request to provide private transportation to the military personnel. We eventually received hotel information for the pilots; but never the Flight Attendants. Dispatch also told us that [shuttle van service] at ZZZ1 would not be operating at that time; but that ZZZ1 station personnel would work on the matter.Mid-flight; after a dispatcher shift change; we were asked by dispatch to consider overflying ZZZ4 and fly directly to ZZZ1. We studied the winds; possible routing and our fuel and said we could safely overfly ZZZ4 and make it to ZZZ1. I made an announcement to the passengers of our updated plans. We also confirmed via ACARS that a bus would be taking the passengers to ZZZ and that there would be a separate accommodation for our military passengers. The flight landed safely and without incident a little after XG00 am local ZZZ1 time. Having five flight plans with three different destinations within two hours could have resulted in a less-than desirable outcome. However; I credit the professionalism of dispatch; the cabin crew and my First Officer to help maintain the integrity and safety of the flight; despite taking a lot of slack from our customers. In an ideal world; [the company] owes each and every passenger an explanation and an apology along with whatever 'severe compensation' was offered via 'clicking on a link.' At least each and every crew member as well as dispatch is owed an explanation and possible training on how to deal with such an operational melt-down where the front line workers AND passengers were given NO answers; NO support and NO direction.
Boeing 737 Captain reported being ready to push from the gate with a fully loaded aircraft and no information on departure time; destination; passenger supplemental transportation or crew accommodations.