WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU MISS YOUR FLIGHT??

At some point, everyone’s wondered what to do if you miss your flight. Before we begin, if you have managed to miss your flight (and I have done it a few times) here a few quick reference helpful tips.

Stay Calm
Look for a member of staff that can help you
Start thinking about alternative routes
Let the people on the other end of the flight know what is happening.
Whether this occurred because you were stuck in traffic, overslept your alarm or got carried away in duty free there are plethoras of people missing flights every day. Allegedly 22% of booked seats are not occupied, largely due to missed connections. So what should you do if your flight is missed and what happens next?

First, let yourself freak out for a minute, it’s natural to worry about what is going to happen next and no one benefits from bottling up emotions. Secondly lets be practical; why have you missed your flight?

You Missed Your Flight Connection.

If you are coming in using another airline, they will usually take care of your booking for you for your next flight and typically they will put you on standby.  When ever there are connecting flights involved I will always ensure that they are booked not he same ticket.  (For instance, if you fly Easy Jet from Edinburgh to Gatwick and then have a separate ticket to Dubai on Emirates, Emirates would not necessarily put you on the next flight as it could be the fault of Easy Jet.  Easy Jet would not necessarily assist you as the only part of your contract was to get you from Scotland to London.)

If possible call ahead to ensure you can collect your bags. They will arrive before you do so by making baggage reclaim aware you will speed up the whole procedure as rebooking when you have missed a flight can be a lengthy procedure.
It will also be to your advantage to let your hotel and transfers know what is happening.
You Missed Your Flight Due To Your Error – of course a simple call to me if you have booked with me – and I will ensure that everyone is informed.

If you are to blame for your missed flight try and let the airline know before the gate closes. If you can do that the chances of switching to another flight, although not guaranteed are higher but you will be charged a fee for this.
Try to gather information; are there any other flights the same day you can board? Can you get on a standby list? What about other airlines and airports, do they have services you can use?
I’m sure that this statement doesn’t apply to you, dear reader, but don’t lose your temper. This is the time for acceptance and bear in mind it is no ones fault but your own that you missed the flight! The people working in the airport are not there to be insulted and in fact are much more likely to help you with your transfer should you not point the finger of blame. When we missed our flight I am sure the reason we received such good service from the team at Stansted airport is because we owned the mistake and at no point attempted to shift the blame. Rather than vent your frustration use the knowledge of the staff on the ground to rectify the issue.
Every cloud has a silver lining – I’m a big fan of seeing the good in everything and yes, times like this tries this belief but gives me the ideal opportunity to put my opinions into practice. Take the time to explore the local area, maybe sit down with a book or as I am doing, write a blog about your experience. Missing a plane does not need to be the end of the world and it’s up to you to make this work in your favour.

Finally, remember that every airline has it’s own set of restrictions so if you are changing from one to another ensure your luggage and time limits meet the required limits.

If like us the other week going to Jamaica, you arrive late to the airport – don’t let your driver leave until you have told him you are going to make the flight – hanging around for 10 minutes can often be easier then them setting off and having to come back for you…

Thanks to
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