What to do if you miss your flight?

You’re excited about your holiday, or ready for your business trip. Then, for whatever reason, you miss your flight.

Perhaps you were stuck in traffic, and simply couldn’t get to the airport. Maybe you missed your flight being called, or fell asleep in the departure lounge?

So what can you do if your holiday doesn’t even take off?

Continue your trip

If you’re already in the airport, or close enough, don’t completely give up. Speak to staff at the airport and see if they can find you space on the next flight.

Understandably, you might panic. You may decide to just go home, but most airlines will do their best to get you to where you were going. You may be offered an available seat, or put on a standby list.

You may be charged a fee for changes if it’s not the airline’s fault. It’s more likely that this fee will be waived if you’re calm, polite and respectful. Missing your flight could make you stressed and frustrated, but keeping a lid on these feelings will give you the best chance of being moved at no extra cost.

Ask other airlines

If your airline can’t help you, and you still want to travel, you can speak to other airlines at the airport. They may have a space that you can claim, though you’ll have to pay full price. Keep your phone charged, and check for flights online as well – as they may be considerably cheaper.

Check on your luggage

Sometimes the missed flight isn’t the first one, but a connecting flight at a second airport. In these cases, there’s a good chance that your luggage will go on without you. Missing your connecting flight may not be your fault.

Contact the airline and ask them to keep an eye on your luggage. Your cases will be set aside until you can claim them back. Bear in mind that, if there are any missing or damaged contents, the deadline for making a claim is seven days after you’ve received your luggage.

Go through the decontrolling process

If you’re already airside, and you’ve gone through security, you will need to be decontrolled. Decontrolling is the reverse process, allowing you to return to being landside just like a passenger arriving.

Until you’ve gone back through security, you can’t get home or come up with alternative plans.

Update the right people

Remember to keep others up to date – such as the accommodation you’re supposed to be using or a taxi waiting at your destination. You could have people waiting for you, and should extend this courtesy to them.

Check on your return tickets

Many airlines will cancel return tickets if you’ve missed your outbound flight. If you manage to get on a later plane, check that your return flights are still valid.

There’s nothing worse than booking another flight to eventually reach your destination, then discovering that you’ve got no way home again at the end of your trip.

See if you’re entitled to a refund

If you’ve missed a flight and it’s your fault, you will not be entitled to a refund. At best, you can hope that you’ll be transferred to another flight free of charge.

If missing the plane isn’t your fault, perhaps due to an earlier flight delay, then you may get some money back. Check if you can claim compensation, and follow your airline’s rules.

Use your travel insurance

If you’ve selected the right level of cover, your travel insurance may bring financial protection. This will vary from policy to policy, and not all travelers are covered.

Check if your insurance includes protection against flight delays and cancellations. Usually, you’ll pay more to add this to your policy.

If you’re making a claim, make sure you have evidence to maximize your chance of money back. This can include photographs, documents, reports or written notes from your airline.

The key to coping with a missed flight is keeping control of your emotions. Nobody likes this experience, though staying calm is your best chance to get your trip back on track. It’s easier to stay calm and collected if you know that you’ve got the right protection, so a good travel insurance policy could be exactly what you need.

“Your cases will be set aside until you can claim them back. Bear in mind that, if there are any missing or damaged contents, the deadline for making a claim is [seven days after you’ve received your luggage].”