For most travelers—especially the anxious kind—missing a flight is a worst-case scenario. Yet, no matter how quickly you rush to catch your connecting flight, or how many times you honk your horn in traffic, sometimes that plane takes off without you.
The panic (and subsequent sinking feeling) that occurs when you know you’ve missed your flight is totally normal. But it’s not the end of the world. Here is what to do if you miss that boarding call.
Running Late
If you are a few minutes behind schedule, there are some things you can do to still catch your flight. Use the online check-in feature, consider taking hand luggage only, and be prepared to run!
Plan Ahead
If it’s clear that you won’t make your flight in time, call the airline. Doing so will allow them to give your seat to someone on standby and improves your chances of being booked on a later flight.
Things Can Get Pricey
Plane tickets don’t come cheap, and, unfortunately, there is no refund on missed flights. In fact, airlines often charge additional fees for placing you on a later flight. This includes a re-booking fee, and, in some cases, the difference in air fare between the original flight and the new one.