What to do if you are late for your flight or it is delayed or canceled

Traveling is a lot of fun, but sometimes your trips can be ruined due to flight issues, when delayed or canceled flights break the most elaborate plans for vacations or business meetings. There are dozens of reasons for a flight cancellation or delay, starting from weather and ending up with airplane shutdown or air traffic congestion. In a worst-case scenario, you might miss a connecting flight as well.

Photo: Depositphotos.com

This situation can be hardly enjoyable, but still it’s not a catastrophe. Below are several pieces of advice on how to act if you got stuck in an airport over the following reasons:

• Your flight was delayed or canceled;
• You were late due to a delay of a preceding flight;
• Or you were late just because you stuck in traffic or slept through your alarm and missed the flight.

When you realize you are late, call your airlines

If you’re stuck in traffic or sleep through your alarm and think you’re going to miss a flight, call your airline immediately. The sooner they know you are late, the more options the airline has to offer, USA Today reports.

This call is extremely important because when a passenger is late for a flight, an airline gets into a tricky situation as well. Most probably, this passenger’s seat will be empty during the flight, which makes booking a seat for this person for the next flight will mean offering him or her a free ticket which will not be paid for. Companies don’t like losing money, so odds are they will refuse to book a seat for the next flight. However, if you let your airlines know before the flight that you’re running late, they will have a chance to try and sell you seat, and will not lose money when they rebook you on the next flight.

The reason for being late matters

Many airlines have an informal «flat tire» rule. It says they can book you on the next flight available if you have a good reason for showing up late at the airport. Good reasons include literally flat tire on the way to the airport, a need for emergency medical assistance, or some documentable event beyond your control.

Although sleeping through your alarm or getting stuck in traffic doesn’t count, flight agents enjoy some flexibility in how they can apply the rule and do you a favor. When you’re running late, contact them as soon as possible, and they might find a way to help.

If you don’t have a good reason for being late and you tell your airlines about it after the flight leaves, you are not really making them love you. That’s when you will have to buy a new ticket. However, some niceness on your part can help you through this situation, so try to smile at a flight agent instead of demanding him or her to get you on the next flight free of charge.

Photo: Depositphotos.com

Rights of a passenger who missed a flight

When you miss a flight due to being late to the airport and without calling your airline, you have poor chances to take the next flight without buying another ticket. Most carriers will see you as a ‘no-show’ and will keep the money you paid for the ticket. Note that the airline will also cancel your return flight ticket automatically. However, if you call the airline before the flight takes off, you might be able to get a partial refund or ticket credit, depending on the type of ticket you bought.

Being late for domestic connecting flight over delay or cancellation of previous flight

If you miss a domestic connecting flight, you are, so to say, lucky. The majority of domestic airlines have policies allowing them to rebook you on the next flight free of charge. If you have to stay at the airport overnight, the carrier will cover your hotel room if the delay was his fault.

Photo: Depositphotos.com

Delay or cancelation of a European flight

If your flight to/from/within Europe is delayed or canceled, you might be entitled to even greater compensation. In some cases you will get a seat to your destination at no extra cost and might receive €600 ($670) as a compensation. Flightbucks might help you with getting your money back.

In order to receive cash compensation through this company, you must meet some requirements: you must be travelling to or from an airport located in an EU country or Israel.

The cash compensation law covers all airlines in the world. To be eligible, your flight must be canceled or delayed for over 3 hours due to the carrier’s fault (this excludes weather conditions and airport staff strike, let’s say). The amount of the compensation depends on the distance flown: €250 per passenger for a flight of less than 1,500 km in distance; €400 for a flight 1,500 km thru 3,500 km in distance; and €600 for a flight greater than 3,500 km in distance.

The time length of the compensation procedure differs from carrier to carrier. Some airlines process the claims within several days, while others might take a few months. The limitation period for compensation claims also varies. The average is 5 years, although in some cases you might be compensated for a flight delayed or canceled 10 years ago. Still it’s quite difficult to get the compensation on your own — the claim must be filed including all legitimate links that oblige the carrier pay the compensation to its passengers.

Flightbucks is ready to help you with receiving the cash compensation. To check whether you are eligible, please fill in a short form with your flight information. The company donates to local charities from each paid claim amount, and offers the same option to all clients.

Flightbucks regularly publishes airline news in its blog you can sign up for, along with useful tips and information for travelers.

Cancellation or delay of a domestic flight

If a domestic flight was delayed or late, the carrier is obliged to provide passengers with food and hotel depending on the length of waiting time in the airport.

You should also know that passengers are entitled to flight vouchers or a ticket refund (but only if the ticket was bought from the airline and is refundable), as well as food & drink coupons or a discount for another flight ticket. Follow the link to a Flightbucks blog post to read more about these options and conditions.

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