If you miss your flight, the most important thing you can do is contact the airline right away, whether at the airport or by calling customer care. Since most airlines consider you a “no-show,” that means your entire itinerary, including any return or connecting flights, may be canceled automatically. However, if you arrive on time and notify the airline, you may be eligible for rebooking on the next available flight at no additional cost or even for free.
However, what you do next and whether you’ll be rebooked will mostly depend on the airline’s policies, the kind of ticket you have, and the reason you missed it. Below, we’ll outline what to do if you miss your flight and provide some advice on how to avoid it.
What to Do Right Away If You Miss Your Flight?
To find out what happens if you miss your flight, even though it is your fault or the airline’s fault, we share a few suggestions from industry professionals, including an experienced flight attendant and airline officials.
What Happens If You Miss Your Flight Due to Personal Reasons?
If you miss your flight for personal reasons such as a flat tire, a family emergency, or oversleeping, things become a little more difficult. Here’s what you should do if you miss your flight.
1. Contact the Airline Immediately
Firstly, contact your airline immediately, even if there is little chance you will make it, to notify the agent that you are on the route. If the flight is delayed, they can notify you or reschedule you for the next available flight. If a flight is missed, you can expect a change fee in addition to the price difference if the ticket was bought at a higher price. You can save some of these costs by calling in advance.
Go to the ticket counter or gate agent if you’re at the airport. Be polite when you describe the circumstances. What happens next will primarily depend on their authority, so try to stay on their good side. Inform them of the circumstances and inquire about their choices. If you have an airline membership, mention it to the agent—they may be more eager to assist.
2. Flat Tire Rule
Some airlines have (unwritten) policies that might make them a little more understanding of your situation when the circumstances of missing your flight were completely beyond your control. It is a “flat tire” policy that allows agents to rebook them on the next available aircraft as long as they can demonstrate that the reason for their delay was beyond their control.
The “flat tire rule” is not publicly published, but an unofficial regulation that an airline may implement on an individual basis. The best course of action for a traveler in the event of a flat tire is to approach the gate agent without claiming any extra benefits.
Additionally, some airlines may be ready to minimize change fees and other charges if you arrive at the airport within two hours of your missed departure and have a valid reason for doing so. This is known as the “flat tire rule,” and it’s worth respectfully attempting to use it.
3. Address Any Connecting Flights
After missing your first flight, if you don’t want to miss your connecting flight, notify the gate agent or airline representative about your situation so they can help you make appropriate plans.
The majority of airlines will place you on standby for the next flight if you were on the first one but missed the connecting one. Calling the airline (or baggage claim at the airport) in advance is crucial in this case so they can hold any checked bags until you can pick them up.
However, it is important to note that connecting flights are only protected if they are offered by the same airline or if there is an interline agreement between the two airlines. The agreement enables a connection to be a pre-arranged transfer where the airline handles passengers and their baggage across two flights.
4. Review Your Travel Insurance
Analyse your travel insurance policy to find out what resources and protections it offers in the event of a missed flight. Missed flights are typically covered by travel insurance under certain conditions, such as adverse weather, medical issues, traffic accidents, delays in public transportation, a car breakdown, or other unforeseen delays in arriving at the airport.
Calling and talking to a representative may be the best option, so they can inform you how much they can pay for the missed flight and any rebooking costs.
Keep any receipts and a record of any conversations you had about your missing flight in case you need them later to file a claim.
5. Notify Your Accommodation
Missing your flight also results in missing or delaying the check-in time for a hotel or vacation rental; therefore, promptly inform the owner or hotel. Hopefully, doing this will help you come up with a fresh check-in strategy and avoid additional fees.
Once you have decided on a new arrival time, get in touch with the taxi operator or accommodation host to reschedule your pickup.
6. Refunding Your Ticket
The next step you can take is to request a refund for your ticket. However, getting a refund is usually not a possibility if you missed the flight due to your own fault. If you purchased a refundable ticket that permits you to cancel and change your itinerary after the day of travel, you should be eligible for a refund.
Whether or not the airline imposes a fee for ticket cancellation will determine how much you get back. If the airline does not charge for canceling a ticket, you will be provided a full refund.
What Happens If You Miss Your Flight Due to an Airline Delay or Cancellation?
If you miss a connection due to an airline’s delays (for example, technical issues), the airline must rebook you on the next available flight, but it is not required to do so.
- No Rebooking Fees: If the airline is responsible for missing your flight due to delay or cancellation, overbooking of the flight, or other reasons, then you will be rebooked on the next available flight without any additional cost.
- Compensation: The airlines must also offer you accommodations and meals if the rebooked flight departs the next morning. You are eligible for compensation, including free rebooking, refund, hotel stay, or food and drink, etc, for a stress-free experience.
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Conclusion
Whether you missed the airline’s flight due to circumstances within or outside of their control, the first step should be to contact the airline, let them know you missed your flight, and find out what your best option is going forward.
Asking for travel credit, paying a change fee, or obtaining a standby flight are some possible options. Basic economy tickets are the most limited; however, not all of these options are available for every class of ticket.
Although missing a flight can disrupt your schedule, being kind, understanding, and aware will help you deal with the situation calmly.
FAQs
If you fail to show up for a flight without canceling it beforehand, you will be listed as a “no show” on their system and may be assessed a no-show fee. As a result, it’s likely that any post-missed flights or related plans, such as transfers, would be canceled.
Yes, you may generally rebook a missed flight by calling the airline. The airline staff will usually try to put you on the next available flight. If the following flight is fully filled, they may place you on standby, which means you can replace any passengers who do not show up.
You must get in contact with your airline right away if you miss your flight after checking in. Depending on the situation, they may place you on standby, rebook you on the following flight, or suggest that you buy a new ticket.
No, you cannot claim a refund for a missed flight, even if it was unintentional. The airline may rebook you on a different flight, but there may be a change in cost.
Travel insurance covers missed flights in certain situations, like bad weather, medical emergencies, delays in public transportation, and unforeseen delays in arriving at the airport. However, if missing a flight is your fault, then you will often be responsible for paying all expenses.
If you miss an international trip, your airline is required to discharge your bags before departure. If you are flying domestically, your bags will most likely continue to your destination. Your airline will hold them until you arrive.
If you miss your connecting flight, the airline should re-book the next available trip. If the next outgoing flight is the next morning, the carrier should either make a ticket for another airline or provide rooms and meals.
While you will not be charged for missing your flight, you may be required to pay a fee to rebook on the next available flight.
No, if you miss your flight, airlines don’t rebook it automatically. You must contact the airline to reschedule the flights as soon as possible.
