What happens if you miss your flight?

[RangerWickett]

I'm just curious. If I had a plane ticket for the trip home at the end of my vacation, and for whatever reason I missed my flight, how could I get home? Would it cost money, or would the airline just put me on the next flight? How does it work?

 

[Ranger REG]

Well, if I'm RangerWickett, I'd cry and assume prone fetal position.

What did you do to miss your flight?

 

[Infiniti2000]

It can depend on the type of ticket you purchased and what airline. For the most part, you'll be put on a following flight, depending on available seating. There might even be a small charge, some sort of processing fee, but I think that will not be likely in today's market. Airlines like to overbook a flight because so many people cancel or just don't show up (at least they used to back when business was good). This means that the next flight might not have an available seat and you'll just have to fly "stand by". That is, you sit and wait until they call your name about 5 minutes before they close the door (unless they're underloaded).

Good luck!

 

[kenobi65]

What I2000 said.

Generally speaking, they just try to re-book you, but it may not always mean getting out on the very next flight.

Sometimes there's a rebooking fee, sometimes there isn't.

If you really are concerned about it, it's a good question to ask your airline.

 

[Infiniti2000]

If you really are concerned about it, it's a good question to ask your airline.

Especially before you purchase it, if it's that important a point to you.

 

[RangerWickett]

It was actually more of a what-if scenario. Once I was having a very good time with a friend at the end of a vacation, and I wish I had skipped my flight to spend more time with her. I was just curious, in case something ever came up again.

 

[kenobi65]

Once I was having a very good time with a friend at the end of a vacation, and I wish I had skipped my flight to spend more time with her.

A very good time, IYKWIMAITYD.

Sorry, RW, couldn't resist.

 

[Dog Moon]

I was once in Guatemala and on my return trip, I couldn't find my passport or identification. I was totally panicking but managed to find it just as I neared the front of the line. A bazillion what-if situations ran through my head as I wondered what would happen if I really had lost it all.

Let's hope the 'what-if' questions never become reality.

 

[Jesus_marley]

A friend of mine was up from New York and missed her flight home. She got the dates mixed up and actually went to the airport the day AFTER her plane left. She had to pay for a whole new ticket and had to pay the "I need a ticket home right now and am stuck so you can get away with demanding my firstborn as payment" rate. She ended up paying more for the one way ticket than she did for the original return fare.

 

[Bagpuss]

It was actually more of a what-if scenario. Once I was having a very good time with a friend at the end of a vacation, and I wish I had skipped my flight to spend more time with her. I was just curious, in case something ever came up again.

If you just miss the flight (no fault of the airline*) then you are likely to have shell out for another ticket. If you know in advance that you intend to extend your stay then contact the airline and you can probably trade your ticket, and at least not have to play full whack for the other ticket.

But it really depends on the conditions of sale.


*Note: Bad weather is no fault of the airline so say your plane is grounded due to fog the airline don't have to give you any compensation, just put you on an alternative flight.