What To Do Now & How to Avoid it in the Future

Missing a flight is something that nobody wishes upon themselves; the stress, the panic, and the anxiety is just too draining. But sometimes even though you did your best, life just gets in the way and you miss your flight – but not too worry; every problem has a solution (sometimes for free, sometimes with a little extra cost).

Here are some tips and pieces of advice on what to do when you’ve missed your flight, and how to avoid missing your future flights. 

Why did you miss your flight? 

After realizing that you’re going to miss your flight, take a deep breath and calm down for a minute or two.

Then, compose yourself and think – why did you miss your flight? There could be several reasons why someone missed their flight; sometimes it’s not even the passenger’s fault. There are different solutions for different reasons. Now let’s break it down to why you missed your flight and how to resolve your problem:

It’s the airlines’ fault 

In these situations, the airline is responsible for making sure that you reach your final destination. The airline is responsible to book you on the next available flight, and, when necessary, shoulder hotel costs and meals. Even on connecting flights, provided all flights are with the same airline, they will take care of you. 

It’s the weather’s fault

The airlines abdicate responsibility when it comes to weather.  When they claim weather is the cause for missing your connecting flight the airline will help you rebook but won’t shoulder costs for accommodation and meals. 

It’s your fault (within your control)

We all have these days, sometimes it’s because of poor planning or not hearing the alarm clock go off or just not minding the time – these are some examples of missing your flight because of something that’s within your control. In these situations, well, you are on your own. You can ask the airline to help you rebook a flight, but they are not obliged to do so, and they most definitely won’t shoulder any costs relating to your new flight, accommodation or meals. For the rebooking, expect that you will likely pay a change fee plus differences in fares, or look at booking a totally new flight. 

In cases of missed connecting flights, if you booked different airlines for your connecting flights then you missed your next flight because of any delays caused by your previous flight then this also falls as your fault. For example, if you booked your first ticket on Southwest Airlines and the second ticket on American Airlines, American Airlines is not responsible if you missed your flight because of Southwest Airlines. 

What to do when you’ve missed your flight and you’re stuck? 

Here are some things to do when you’re stuck:

• Call and inform your hotels, cars, and tour guides, if any, of the changes in your plans due to missing your flight. Best to inform them right away of your new schedule so they can also make the necessary adjustments for you. 
• If you have one of the credit cards / passes that include access to a airport lounge; use it!  Lounges are a haven for travelers, and can provide (hopefully for free) access to wifi, food, drinks and maybe even a shower!   
• Research on how far your next travel destination is before you rebook your flight. You may be able to take alternative modes of transportation, like a bus or a train rather than a flight. If there is none, then book your preferred time of flight departure. 
• Look around; maybe you’re stuck in an interesting place! You can opt for a longer layover and just explore the place to kill the time. 

Handy tips to know to avoid missing your connecting flights

Here are some really helpful tips to keep in mind to help avoid missing a connection: 

• Make sure your layover is long enough between flights so as to minimize the chance that you will miss your next flight.
• If you’re arriving at a huge and busy airport chances are there are going to be long lines at customs and immigration, so take that into consideration as well.
• If you find it cheaper to book two separate flights on different airlines, this is okay so long as you have enough time in between the two flights.
• We highly suggest avoiding the last flight of the day.
• Make sure to check in before you arrive at the airport.
• Best to choose an aisle seat close to the front for easier and faster access.
• As much as possible, don’t check baggage, only carry-on to avoid delays caused by lines at the baggage drop counter.
• Have airport maps and your travel documents secured and ready.
• Research ahead if you have to change terminals at an airport. If yes, research how to get to your next terminal.
• Apply for a TSA Pre/Global Entry to get through security faster.
• Travel Insurance might help but there’s no guarantee, sometimes it’s not worth the hassle if the cost is too high.

Apps that can help you plan you in your travels

Here are some really cool applications that you can download that can make your travel life much easier: 

• TripIT Pro –  It helps organize all your travel details and documents into one place, and organizes all your travel plans into a master itinerary for easy checking.  It also includes airport terminal maps and all the lounges available at that airport.
• FlyAway – an application that helps make travelling by air accessible to everyone.
• Hopper – an application where you can book your flights and hotels. This app also monitors prices for you, so you’ll know when’s the best time to book. 
• Skiplagged – an application where you can search for cheap flights. 

Take these tips into consideration and we can assure you that your future travels are going to be more enjoyable. Happy and safe travels everyone!