What Happens When You Miss Your Flight
We all want to travel the world and see beautiful places whenever we can. Whether it is to get some rest from our busy lives or simply to enjoy the new exciting experience, there is hardly a person in the world who doesn’t like to travel. But, what happens when all of your travel plans go down the drain simply because you missed your flight?
If you showed up at the airport later than you should have, you are the first or last person in the world to do this. Everyone is well aware of the rules – get to the airport at least an hour or two before departure to be able to pass passport control and check in in time to catch the flight. But, showing up later is something that simply happens and when it does, you need to know what you can do.
1. Use the ‘Flat Tire’ Excuse
This might sound strange, but it actually works in many airports. Many of the airlines have such rule that allows passengers to rebook the following flight if this was the reason to miss the first. This is the only natural thing since even airlines experience many cancellations and delays due to similar issues, claiming reasons like ‘factors out of our control’.
Thankfully, even passengers are given what we’d call the benefit of the doubt. If you check your airline policy beforehand; you will know if there is a waiving fare rule that allows you to rebook the flight you might miss. Know these rules and use them to your advantage. For example, you might have to call the airline when going to the airport late to tell them you have a flat tire (otherwise they won’t accept this excuse).
2. Have an Alternative
If it is an important flight you don’t want to miss (not that anyone would like to miss a flight), have an alternative in case this happens. When you book your flight, check to learn what the next available flight to that destination is. You will surely do your best not to be late, but it is better to be safe than sorry.
3. Don’t Give Up
When the situation appears bad and you don’t believe you will get there in time, don’t give up. If you are lucky enough, the flight might also get delayed or you might get there just before the gate closes. However, you will want to really, really hurry!
4. Use Your Travel Insurance
There are all kinds of travel insurances you can use and cases like this make it essential to compare insurance before you buy one. Select the one that covers your needs and risks the most. If you have a travel insurance that covers most delays, cancellations, and problems on your vacation, you might be able to use it to refund or rebook your airplane ticket.
5. Check for Blanket Waivers
If the weather isn’t great or there is another factor that would cause major flight disruption, airlines tend to issue blanket waivers to their passengers. Since you are already about to miss your flight, call your airline and ask them to change your flight at no charge. You might be able to use a waiver if you are lucky enough.
There isn’t much to do when you are late for your flight, but you can certainly try. Stay informed, hurry and take all necessary precautions to avoid such things from happening!
