How to deal with missed flights

There are no two ways about it – missing your flight is a stressful experience. Nobody wants to feel that sinking feeling as they realise the traffic isn’t going to let up or the check-in desk closed ten minutes earlier. While missing your cheap flight is undeniably irritating and hugely inconvenient, it does not have to be the end of the world. Once you’ve found out for a fact that your flight has been missed, the best thing you can do is to remain level headed and take some practical steps towards rectifying the situation. It does not necessarily have to mean your holiday is ruined, and by following these handy hints and tips you will be able to cope better.

 

So the worst has happened – you’ve missed your flight. The first thing you’ll want to do is go about getting on the next available one. Find a representative of the airline you are travelling with and explain the situation to them. Depending on the flight schedule for that day and how busy the airline you’re flying with is, there could be a number of scenarios. In the best case, you airline may be able to get you on the next flight departing to your destination – bear in mind that this will be subject to seat availability and is not always possible. Alternatively, they may be able to arrange a flight for you with a different carrier to your destination. Failing this, you may have to wait until the next day for the first available flight. It is important to note that some airlines may ask you to pay for your new seat on the flight they arrange for you, so it is best to be prepared for this.

 

While missing your flight is incredibly frustrating and upsetting, you should do your best to remain calm. Getting angry or hostile towards airline staff because they cannot get you on a flight until the next day is not fair on them, and will not make them inclined to go out of their way to help you. Also, no matter how upset you get the situation will not change, so you are best taking a ‘C’est la vie’ attitude towards it. What’s more, if you are becoming stressed out and travelling with children, they will pick up on this and probably begin to become stressed themselves, which will stress you out more… it’s a vicious cycle.

 

Assuming you’ve kept your head, the airline customer service staff should be sympathetic to your plight and will be willing to help you any way they can. A lot of the time they will have vouchers entitling you to a free or discounted meal in one of the airport restaurants or free drinks. They can also supply an over-night bag with a toothbrush, sanitary towels, shower gel etc, so it’s worth asking to see if you can get some of this if you are going to have to stay at the airport for a long period of time.

 

Once you’ve arranged a new flight and come to terms with the fact that your holiday is going to be a little delayed, it is a good idea to keep yourself occupied to avoid dwelling on the situation. If you can’t get onto a flight till the next day, you may want to book into an airport hotel for the night, in which case you can try to relax and make the most of the facilities there. If you are lucky enough to have been put on a flight later that same day, have a walk around the airport shops, buy a book or magazine, have a coffee or meal in the restaurants and try and make the time pass as quickly as possible.