It is always possible for travelers to miss the flight. If the reason is due to the weather or the airline, it won’t be such a big problem. However, when it comes to personal reasons, such as procedures undone, lack of necessary documents, and, the most common reason, showing up too late at the airport, it would be a bit sticker. Therefore, here we provide some solutions for you when you miss the flight.
- Emergency counter
What if you arrive the airport too late so that check-in counter has already been closed up? Or what if you the check-in line is too long that you might miss the flight because of it? Here is the solution. Most of the airlines have emergency counters for those who are being late for their flights. You may contact the airline to ask for emergency check-in information.
- First-class security path.
In most situations, waiting for going through security is the most common one to be blamed for. In this case, you may ask the airport staffs if they are willing to give you the ‘’priority stamp’’, so that you can pass through first-class security path, which there is no much people queuing for it most of the time.
- Ask the staffs nicely
However, there’s still have chances that you don’t get the priority stamp. Then the best way is to ask the airport staffs nicely if you can cut in the line to go through security as soon as possible. But notice that you should try this solution only when it’s in urgent, don’t take it as a time saving way.
- Change the flight
Unlike situations above, what if there is no way that you are able to catch up the flight, since the check-in counter usually close up about 45 minutes before departure, and the boarding gate usually close up 15 minutes before taking off?
First of all, you should check your ticket’s purchase policy. Only when the ticket is changeable that you can apply the following steps, otherwise you will be treated as ‘’no show’’, which there is no way you can fix it besides purchasing another ticket.
And now, one way possible is that you may ask the airline staffs if there is another plane later to the same destination. Sometimes there are more than one flight heading to it. In this case, ‘’probably’’ no extra fees will be charged.
However, what if there isn’t any plane on the same day? You may also ask the staffs if there is any other airline heading to the same destination. Although it might cost extra more, it is still better than not having a flight.
- Cancel the fight
Another way possible, the simplest one, is to cancel the flight. However, it definitely won’t refund all the fare back to you. Depending on the airlines and how long before you cancel it, there will be different criteria for refunding. However, just like changing the flight, if your ticket is not allowed to be cancelled, you will be treated as ‘’no show’’ and get no refund for it.
After providing tips above, there are still something you should be aware of. For instance, contact the airline if there’s is a stopover and you might not be able to catch up the next flight, also contact the driver picking you up to reschedule the pickup time, and contact the hotel if you are not able to make it that night…, etc.
Last but not least, although here we provide tips above, it is always better to show up at the airport in time!