One of the most stressful events when traveling is missing your flight. No matter how you prepare for your upcoming flight, there will be circumstances beyond your control that can still prevent you from getting to your scheduled flight on time. Being stuck in traffic, your alarm clock failed on you, sudden inclement weather and many other situations can hold you back from taking your flight.
When it comes to situations where you missed – or nearly missed – your flight, take a minute to let out your panic, frustrations and freak out. Once you let them out of your system, regain your composure and take these steps to get back on track.
Stay Calm If You Miss a Connecting Flight
If you’re coming in from another flight and you miss the next one, most of the time the airline will take care of re-accommodating you through your final destination. Be sure to check out your ticket first and identify the main carrier or the plane that owns the ticket. This is important if your flight involves more than one airline. For international flights, one of the easiest ways of identifying your main carrier is determining which airline travels “over the water” or traverses the ocean. Once you identify your main carrier, call them ahead of time and inform them of a “misconnection” in their flight and you missed your flight. Also, inform them of your baggage so that the baggage claim agent will expedite the process. You will also need to inform the ground and hotel transport if you will be arriving much later than expected.
Always Avail of Airport Parking
Airport parking is a big help when you are going to a busy international airport such as Newark Liberty International Airport, one of three airports serving the New York tri-state area along with JFK International Airport and LaGuardia International Airport. Newark Liberty parking or parking in any of the two other main airports in New York can also come in handy when you miss your flight. There are two possible scenarios when you miss your flight: you will be accommodated on the next available flight or you’ll have to wait for another flight the next day. Both scenarios require long hours of waiting. So instead of being cramped up in the airport, call the airline in advance and the sooner the better. There will be a high chance that you can take the next flight while arranging it over the phone and you wait in the comfort of your vehicle’s parking space.
Give the Airline a Heads Up
One of the most convenient ways of letting the airline know that you can’t make it to the flight is to call them as soon as you know you’re going to miss the flight. Different airlines have varying policies when it comes to missing flights and emergency changes in flight schedules. Some may be generous enough to have accommodated on the next flight, while some may charge an additional fee for the new flight schedule, while some will forfeit the ticket value and have you book for a new flight.
If ever the delay doesn’t come up until the last minute, such as being able to arrive just within the prescribed time, but got held up by the long queue at the security check counter, immediately approach the airline ticketing agent and request for a flight on the next available schedule after your missed one. Be humble and composed of your approach and further improve your chance of being re-accommodated to another flight. Don’t forget to show your gratitude and say “thank you”.
These are just a few airport hacks that you can do whenever you miss your flight. The best approach is still prevention and proactive thinking. Factor in the possible situations that can hinder or delay you from taking your flight and take steps to avoid them in advance. Nevertheless, gather yourself together and be calm and composed when you missed your flight. Having a clear mind can allow you to take logical and rational steps to take another flight.
