By Crist Roy.
Flying is the fastest and most convenient form of transportation, but when you realize you’ve missed your flight, it’s an awful feeling. The feeling is made worse by the fact that you’ve reserved accommodations and paid for travel you aren’t going to use. Take a deep breath. It may not be as bad as you think. Here are five things to do if you’ve missed your flight.
Avoid Panicking. Stay Calm.
Seek out a staff member. Calmly explain what happened and ask for help finding the next available flights. Remember, you aren’t the first person who’s ever missed a flight. Focus on fixing the problem. Although the situation may be stressful, it’s not unusual. But what about the money? Have you lost the price of your ticket?
Consider what you paid for your ticket
The more you paid for your ticket, the more likely the airline will compensate you. It also matters from where you purchased the ticket. If you bought it directly from the airline, you have a better chance of getting a favorable result than if you purchased it from an online travel agency.
In most cases, the airline will reschedule you for a price, which will depend on your original ticket price. While the cost of a discounted ticket may be higher than the price of a replacement ticket, it may be less expensive than purchasing a last-minute flight.
Take advantage of the flat-tire rule
American Airlines has a little known policy informally known as the Flat-Tire Rule, but officially called “Land Arrival Standby.” By this policy, passengers who miss flights due to circumstances out of their control, such as heavy traffic or a flat tire, can take the next available flight without additional fares or fees. For the policy to apply, you must arrive at the airport within two hours of the original flight time.
Other airlines have similar policies, but in most cases they are not codified and may be applied only at the discretion of the airline. In any case, you should ask for relief via the Flat-Tire Rule if you are late due to circumstances out of your control. You may be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.
Sort out your hotel bookings
Online platforms like vSublet can help you quickly and efficiently change hotel reservations and keep your hotel abreast of any change in plans. Short of that, contact the hotel where you booked your reservation and let them know you missed your flight. They may be able to arrange new dates or a refund. If you inform them you intend to arrive later usual, they will usually try to accommodate you.
Consult your travel insurance policy
Finally, if you missed your flight, take a look at the terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy, if you have one. The insurer may repay or compensate you for the flight you missed. Everything depends on the details of the situation, so be sure you read carefully. If it’s the fault of the airline, or can be interpreted that way, the cost of your flight may be covered.
If you miss your flight, these five tips to can help you keep the situation under control. Missed flights are not unusual, and the airlines have policies designed to deal with them. Calm down, stay focused and ask the right questions, and you’ll find the situation more manageable than you might have thought.
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