Ever missed your flight?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Where its at
Age: 40
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cheers guys. Some interesting (and highly amusing!) responses. For me personally, the value of time is not just a literal monetary issue- its also about quality of life. I usually do around 50 sectors a year (a little less at the moment as I'm in my final year of university). Turning up two hours before departure as opposed to an hour before equates to around 50 hours a year. That's over two whole days every year!!! I don't want to get all spiritual but our time is limited and I'd much rather spend those extra two days a year doing something other than waiting around in an airport. In fact, when the airlines first introduced online check in, that's how they marketed it.
Thats quite shocking. If it were easyjet you would (probably) have paid much less for your ticket in the first place and would only have had to pay £43 to get on the next available flight. Neither airlines serve free food and both charge for seat selection (easyjet speedy boarding/ BA online). At the risk of instigating thread drift, what exactly is the benefit of flying BA short haul? Are they perhaps more lenient on routes where they compete with easyjet?
All in all there seems to be little consistency with airlines responses to late pax. I know ticket class is a factor but it doesn't explain everything. Do ground staff maybe have an element of discretion? Is it maybe 'luck of the draw' but with certain airlines such as CX being more lenient due to a different corporate culture that is more customer orientated?
Most recent was LGW - had to fork out 300 euro for a ticket back to Dub with BA 2 hours later
All in all there seems to be little consistency with airlines responses to late pax. I know ticket class is a factor but it doesn't explain everything. Do ground staff maybe have an element of discretion? Is it maybe 'luck of the draw' but with certain airlines such as CX being more lenient due to a different corporate culture that is more customer orientated?
Last edited by Anansis; 22nd Nov 2009 at 22:10.
Not exactly loco but I recently returned from San Diego and when I tried the self check in I found the flight had departed, I was a day late!!!!!!.
United check in staff very helpfull and put me on that days flight at no cost. When I got to Heathrow the Air Lingus transfer desk said there would be a charge but she couldn't get the appropiate person on the phone so she let me go again with no extra cost. As someone else has said depends on who you fly with.
United check in staff very helpfull and put me on that days flight at no cost. When I got to Heathrow the Air Lingus transfer desk said there would be a charge but she couldn't get the appropiate person on the phone so she let me go again with no extra cost. As someone else has said depends on who you fly with.
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: STN BHX EMA
Age: 42
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"All in all there seems to be little consistency with airlines responses to late pax"
In terms of acceptance after check-in closure time this is bound to be inconsistant, but not due to different airlines neccesarily but each individual circumstance operationally.
As you know there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes in order to 'turn' an Aircraft, you might turn up late on monday but the A/C is running slightly late in which case the dispatcher has not started/filed his/ her paperwork so you may be accepted.
Then you turn up late on tuesday at exactly the same time with a different airline, but the A/C was in early and everything is done and ready, as soon as the check-in closes, exact male/female/bag breakdown will be used to FINALISE the loadsheet, in this instance the dispatcher probably wouldnt do an LMC.
To you that would understandably appear inconsistant, but there is a reason for everything that happens.
The only thing that impacts on acceptance after 'positive close out' from a different Airline perspective, is certain low-cost carriers, you know who you are ha ha, wont accept pax who are late under ANY circumstances in order to get you back to their ticket desk and buy another ticket.
As for other Airlines charging a great deal of money on the day, well thats just business im afraid, you need to get somewhere and they can offer you a seat, in short you need them more than they need you, so they charge accordingly.
I suppose the only way to make it consistant would be a uniform all airline policy of zero tolerance of acceptance of PAX after closing time, personally I would rather it appear inconsistant, the amount of PAX who are accepted when they have no 'right' to be has always amazed me, as it creates much more work and stress, but circumstances dictate you wont always be that lucky.
As you know there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes in order to 'turn' an Aircraft, you might turn up late on monday but the A/C is running slightly late in which case the dispatcher has not started/filed his/ her paperwork so you may be accepted.
Then you turn up late on tuesday at exactly the same time with a different airline, but the A/C was in early and everything is done and ready, as soon as the check-in closes, exact male/female/bag breakdown will be used to FINALISE the loadsheet, in this instance the dispatcher probably wouldnt do an LMC.
To you that would understandably appear inconsistant, but there is a reason for everything that happens.
The only thing that impacts on acceptance after 'positive close out' from a different Airline perspective, is certain low-cost carriers, you know who you are ha ha, wont accept pax who are late under ANY circumstances in order to get you back to their ticket desk and buy another ticket.
As for other Airlines charging a great deal of money on the day, well thats just business im afraid, you need to get somewhere and they can offer you a seat, in short you need them more than they need you, so they charge accordingly.
I suppose the only way to make it consistant would be a uniform all airline policy of zero tolerance of acceptance of PAX after closing time, personally I would rather it appear inconsistant, the amount of PAX who are accepted when they have no 'right' to be has always amazed me, as it creates much more work and stress, but circumstances dictate you wont always be that lucky.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Ireland
Age: 46
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Few of us would put THAT kind of price on our own time. For the sake of being maybe 15 minutes earlier you could have saved 300 euro. That equates to 1200 euro an hour for 'not having the luxury of time'. Luckily you seem to have the luxury of excess money."
Excess money - I wish that were the case. I'm trying to get a startup off it's feet in the middle of a recession. Every second of every trip I take at the moment has to be utilised to the max. In the example of missing my flight at LGW - the extra 5 minutes I had with a potential investor secured their signature. Offset against that, 300 euro with BA was nothing.
At the moment I am travelling perhaps once or twice a week. Out of my last 40 flights I have missed 4 - I just can't justify paying the extra for flexi fares every time I travel.
Excess money - I wish that were the case. I'm trying to get a startup off it's feet in the middle of a recession. Every second of every trip I take at the moment has to be utilised to the max. In the example of missing my flight at LGW - the extra 5 minutes I had with a potential investor secured their signature. Offset against that, 300 euro with BA was nothing.
At the moment I am travelling perhaps once or twice a week. Out of my last 40 flights I have missed 4 - I just can't justify paying the extra for flexi fares every time I travel.
Last flight out and stuck for the night in St. Louis.
Get to airport early have a seat at the gate. Wake up and everyone and the plane is gone.
Last flight out and stuck for the night in St. Louis.
Last flight out and stuck for the night in St. Louis.
Thats where using mobile phone's alarm clock comes in handy, have been in that situation where sheer tiredness meant couldn't guarantee being awake, after a while people get so annoyed with phone they wake you up just to shut it off just before ready to board.
Only ever missed one flight: returning from Paris on my first ever overseas business trip. I asked the office whether I needed to book a cab from the hotel to CDG for the following morning, to be advised oh no need, just get on the RER, it only takes 30 mins. All the other visitors from HO just do that.
Of course, halfway to CDG and the train grinds to a halt and sits in the tunnel for an hour due to some industrial (in)action. I arrive just as the gate is closed and have to purchase a single ticket which, IIRC, was about twice the price of the original ticket.
I had extreme amounts of p!ss extracted back in the office for months after that.
Now I am at the other extreme, always always always far too early, and enjoy the free food and drink in the lounges!
Of course, halfway to CDG and the train grinds to a halt and sits in the tunnel for an hour due to some industrial (in)action. I arrive just as the gate is closed and have to purchase a single ticket which, IIRC, was about twice the price of the original ticket.
I had extreme amounts of p!ss extracted back in the office for months after that.
Now I am at the other extreme, always always always far too early, and enjoy the free food and drink in the lounges!
I've missed flights due to late connections. The first time it happened and I was very fresh of the boat I got to Heathrow and missed the flt to Manchester. I called my mate who was my boss at that time and said 'What th' F do I do now?'
'Are you standing in the middle of the domestic departure area?'
'Yeah.'
'Turn around 180o - what do you see?'
'Er - a bar...just the bar..?'
'Yeah - well go and get some beers down you whilst you wait for the next flight.'
'Sorted - ta!'
The only other time was in JKT & after a Friday night going to the finest (..well actually..) places in town I was so sakit scali I not only missed the flight to Singapore I missed the next day.
'Are you standing in the middle of the domestic departure area?'
'Yeah.'
'Turn around 180o - what do you see?'
'Er - a bar...just the bar..?'
'Yeah - well go and get some beers down you whilst you wait for the next flight.'
'Sorted - ta!'
The only other time was in JKT & after a Friday night going to the finest (..well actually..) places in town I was so sakit scali I not only missed the flight to Singapore I missed the next day.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
Age: 45
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I usually allow 1 hour when I've checked-in online, and two hours where I have to check-in at the airport.
I'm yet to miss a flight (well, except by sleeping in by five hours after a really heavy night out but that was my own fault!). However, I came close at Stockholm Skavsta airport last year. Most people probably take the direct coach to / from the centre of Stockholm, but me being me, I chose to use the train via Nykoping. It was a holiday period and Swedish Railways were running a reduced service, although this wasn't a problem as I found trains which tied up nicely. On the way back, the ticket vending machine wouldn't give me a seat reservation, which I initially found a bit odd, but then I forgot about it and popped off to a pub for a final pint. Returning to the station 10 minutes before departure, I found the train, and squeezed on. It was PACKED... all the seats taken, and hundreds of standees, but no different really to trains here in the peak. However, departure time came and went, and I started to worry when we still hadn't moved 20 minutes later. Eventually, there was an announcement (in Swedish) and all standing passengers started to grumble, swear and move. I asked someone, and they said the train crew had refused to take the train out as it was too busy. Therefore, everyone without a seat had to get off and wait for the next train, two hours later! ARGH!
To cut a long story short, a lot of people refused to get off, and eventually they were "encouraged" to do so by the local police. The train was being prepared for departure 45 minutes late (already tight for my flight) and I was begging the conductor to let me on, else I'd be stranded. At the last second, after he blew the whistle, he opened the back cab door and pretty much pushed me in, climbed in himself, and off we went. I was the only person who had not originally had a seat to travel, and to cap it all had a great view out the back cab window and spent the journey chatting to the conductor.
Made it to Skavsta 25 mins before departure, and was last on the plane
I'm yet to miss a flight (well, except by sleeping in by five hours after a really heavy night out but that was my own fault!). However, I came close at Stockholm Skavsta airport last year. Most people probably take the direct coach to / from the centre of Stockholm, but me being me, I chose to use the train via Nykoping. It was a holiday period and Swedish Railways were running a reduced service, although this wasn't a problem as I found trains which tied up nicely. On the way back, the ticket vending machine wouldn't give me a seat reservation, which I initially found a bit odd, but then I forgot about it and popped off to a pub for a final pint. Returning to the station 10 minutes before departure, I found the train, and squeezed on. It was PACKED... all the seats taken, and hundreds of standees, but no different really to trains here in the peak. However, departure time came and went, and I started to worry when we still hadn't moved 20 minutes later. Eventually, there was an announcement (in Swedish) and all standing passengers started to grumble, swear and move. I asked someone, and they said the train crew had refused to take the train out as it was too busy. Therefore, everyone without a seat had to get off and wait for the next train, two hours later! ARGH!
To cut a long story short, a lot of people refused to get off, and eventually they were "encouraged" to do so by the local police. The train was being prepared for departure 45 minutes late (already tight for my flight) and I was begging the conductor to let me on, else I'd be stranded. At the last second, after he blew the whistle, he opened the back cab door and pretty much pushed me in, climbed in himself, and off we went. I was the only person who had not originally had a seat to travel, and to cap it all had a great view out the back cab window and spent the journey chatting to the conductor.
Made it to Skavsta 25 mins before departure, and was last on the plane
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Driving a Train.
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I Missed an Emirates flight from Kuala Lumper once.
I was in the hotel on a tuesday night looking at some travel docs seeing my homewardbound flight leaving on Wednesday at 00:10 looking a my watch it was 23:50 Tuesday.
The Airport was over 2 hours drive away.
You might be able to work out the rest.
3 Nights in KLIA was Rough.
I was in the hotel on a tuesday night looking at some travel docs seeing my homewardbound flight leaving on Wednesday at 00:10 looking a my watch it was 23:50 Tuesday.
The Airport was over 2 hours drive away.
You might be able to work out the rest.
3 Nights in KLIA was Rough.
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: swindon
Age: 44
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A warning to all who print their own boarding passes...
Although this has not happened to myself i have seen on 3 separate occasions (Gatwick) people missing their flight because their on-line printed boarding pass did not scan at the security gate.
It appeared on two occasions the easyjet/Ryanair bar code was simply absent from the document, and on the third occasion the bar code could not be read at the security checkpoint.
Despite protests security flatly refused to accommodate and sent them to the check in desk with prospect of another 1 hour Q.
On another occasion in Istanbul the whole plane had to check-in as the airport equipment was broken to scan the home-made passes.
I have personally witnessed these incidents over the last 12months so i assume this must be quite a common problem!
My Own Rules for online checkin
O Arrive with enough free time to be able to traditionally check-in should an issue arise.
O Try and print your boarding pass with a laser printer
O Keep the boarding pass (at least the barcode) free from creases
O Ensure a barcode is actually printed on the document
Smala01
Although this has not happened to myself i have seen on 3 separate occasions (Gatwick) people missing their flight because their on-line printed boarding pass did not scan at the security gate.
It appeared on two occasions the easyjet/Ryanair bar code was simply absent from the document, and on the third occasion the bar code could not be read at the security checkpoint.
Despite protests security flatly refused to accommodate and sent them to the check in desk with prospect of another 1 hour Q.
On another occasion in Istanbul the whole plane had to check-in as the airport equipment was broken to scan the home-made passes.
I have personally witnessed these incidents over the last 12months so i assume this must be quite a common problem!
My Own Rules for online checkin
O Arrive with enough free time to be able to traditionally check-in should an issue arise.
O Try and print your boarding pass with a laser printer
O Keep the boarding pass (at least the barcode) free from creases
O Ensure a barcode is actually printed on the document
Smala01
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Either the back of a sim, or wherever Crewing send me.
Posts: 1,031
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
I reckon I'm one of the worst offendors
I've missed dozens, literally, over the years. My best effort was to miss 3 out of 4 in one holiday
.
I was also once booked on a flight from Heathrow To Paris CDG, not only did I miss the one I was booked on, but I missed the next 5 available
I was that late.
. I was also once booked on a flight from Heathrow To Paris CDG, not only did I miss the one I was booked on, but I missed the next 5 available
I was that late.
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: W Sussex
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The only time I ever missed a flight was entirely due to a computer induced brain failure. I'd put the flight times, allowing for the time zones, into my PDA before leaving home, then on arrival in foreign parts I set the 'visiting' which put it in the local time, GMT+2. What I didn't realise was that it also applied the time difference to the local time I'd entered. So ... when we arrived at the check in desk to come home, I was asked to wave at the aircraft departing the stand, as it was the one we should have been on! 
Ive been flying for years with times scratched on a fag packet, never missed one, but modern technology got me.
After 5 years I still havent lived it down.
Ive been flying for years with times scratched on a fag packet, never missed one, but modern technology got me.
After 5 years I still havent lived it down.
Last edited by Willum4a; 30th Nov 2009 at 11:18. Reason: Departing looks funny with 3 a's
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: uk
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A bit OT but my wife arrived at St Pancras on the Eurostar last week with an hour to wait for her connection northwards. Needless to say she lost track of the time and missed it.
Nice Ticket Inspector wrote on her ticket "delayed due to hold-up on the underground" so she could get the next train. Just like Ryanair?
Nice Ticket Inspector wrote on her ticket "delayed due to hold-up on the underground" so she could get the next train. Just like Ryanair?
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: UK
Age: 45
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thankfully have not yet missed a flight but witnessed someone who did. Flight was LHR with a refuelling stop in Bangkok and on to Bali. Three British gents who were in the their late 40's got on board and sat not far from us. They had obviously had quite a few drinks in the bar before boarding and had brought a bottle onboard. At Bangkok allowed to get off the plane for 45 minutes to get a coffee etc. Two of the said gents also get off with one in bare feet !!!. Just before the doors close only one of them returns, minus the gent in bare feet. As they were close heard the conversation along the lines he couldn't find his mate anywhere in the terminal and his passport was onboard. God knows what the Thai authorities made of this Brit in bare feet with no airline ticket and no passport.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: USA
Age: 78
Posts: 132
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Last 10 years my flights have been mostly international. Last year 42 flights, a rather typical year. In the 10 years I haven't missed an originating flight, but missed several connections. After becoming Elite Plus/Platinum Elite, I always got treated well on the missed connections since they were the airline's fault. My reason for not missing flights - arrive very early. My contacts are worldwide so I live by cell phone and computer. Can do that in the airport lounge/bar/restaurant as well as at the office, and I have an excuse to avoid meetings.
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Teesside, UK
Age: 34
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Happened twice to me so far (only 19 so plenty more opportunity yet... 
)
First one
Travelling back from Los Angeles to Newcastle with the family, booked via Atlanta with Delta to Gatwick, and then completely separate BA to Newcastle.
To cut a long story short we were diverted to Augusta due to weather and then eventually arrived into Atlanta around 2 hours late, meaning we missed planned Gatwick flight. No bother, Delta had automatically rebooked us on the one 2 hours later, also leaving 45 mins late due to delays etc. Arrived at Gatwick around 2:30 later than originally planned, leaving us 30 mins to make connection to BA including reclaiming baggage etc. Anyway we strolled through the terminal thinking we had no chance, arriving at BA check in about 20 mins before departure, check-in staff radioed dispatch who very kindly accepted us and our bags, and after a sprint through the North Terminal we were onto the aircraft and cabin crew got us some drinks seeing us very hot and bothered. Arrived at Newcastle to find only 1 bag (out of 8) had gone missing (as it had to be separately handled at LGW), well done BA! Reunited with final wheely box the next night, delivered to our home.
Second one was more annoying.
Going to Belfast for the day with some mates from university, one of those silly 2p Ryanair flights, 1p each way. Anyway friends car broke down, so another mate drove up from Clowne to Sheffield and then all the way back to East Midlands, accident on M1 meant we arrived with 30 mins before departure, long queue for security = no chance. Had a day out in Skegness instead, not quite the same but fun nonetheless.
)First one
Travelling back from Los Angeles to Newcastle with the family, booked via Atlanta with Delta to Gatwick, and then completely separate BA to Newcastle.
To cut a long story short we were diverted to Augusta due to weather and then eventually arrived into Atlanta around 2 hours late, meaning we missed planned Gatwick flight. No bother, Delta had automatically rebooked us on the one 2 hours later, also leaving 45 mins late due to delays etc. Arrived at Gatwick around 2:30 later than originally planned, leaving us 30 mins to make connection to BA including reclaiming baggage etc. Anyway we strolled through the terminal thinking we had no chance, arriving at BA check in about 20 mins before departure, check-in staff radioed dispatch who very kindly accepted us and our bags, and after a sprint through the North Terminal we were onto the aircraft and cabin crew got us some drinks seeing us very hot and bothered. Arrived at Newcastle to find only 1 bag (out of 8) had gone missing (as it had to be separately handled at LGW), well done BA! Reunited with final wheely box the next night, delivered to our home.
Second one was more annoying.
Going to Belfast for the day with some mates from university, one of those silly 2p Ryanair flights, 1p each way. Anyway friends car broke down, so another mate drove up from Clowne to Sheffield and then all the way back to East Midlands, accident on M1 meant we arrived with 30 mins before departure, long queue for security = no chance. Had a day out in Skegness instead, not quite the same but fun nonetheless.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: It used to be an island...
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A long and inglorious record of refusals at checkin counters...
Many moons ago I was, frankly, having an extended domestic argument with the then other half in the airport and lost track of time. United Airlines were very nice about it and put me on the next flight, so I was then obliged to spend more hours with the then other half, the mutual atmosphere didn't improve much...
And one time the Victorian transport system of London suffered a complete breakdown and I got to the checkin at LGW about 59 minutes before departure. Much punching of buttons by the Continental checkin staff still couldn't get me on the flight since it had been closed automaticaly (they probably tried hard because it was the Business checkin, but as we all know BAA's airports' security don't care about service to anyone, premium or not). They considered it to be an involuntary reroute and immediately put me on a different connection a few hours later.
And then more recently I completely f
up the train connections from central Tokyo to Narita and showed up 2 hours after the ANA departure. They were, in the end, not entirely unreasonable about it and slapped me with a GBP200 ticket change fee (on a nonchange nonrefund thought-I-was-doomed ticket) and put me on the next day's flight.
Oh, and then there's the time I misread the departure time as the checkin opening time for an EZY flight and missed it by an hour and some... a few minutes at the service counter and GBP50 later and I was on the later flight.
I expect being very polite helped me out in all cases when it was my fault, but really, if you've made a mistake yourself, go shout at the responsible party in the mirror in a room on your own, not any staff who might help you if they feel inclined...
And one time the Victorian transport system of London suffered a complete breakdown and I got to the checkin at LGW about 59 minutes before departure. Much punching of buttons by the Continental checkin staff still couldn't get me on the flight since it had been closed automaticaly (they probably tried hard because it was the Business checkin, but as we all know BAA's airports' security don't care about service to anyone, premium or not). They considered it to be an involuntary reroute and immediately put me on a different connection a few hours later.
And then more recently I completely f
up the train connections from central Tokyo to Narita and showed up 2 hours after the ANA departure. They were, in the end, not entirely unreasonable about it and slapped me with a GBP200 ticket change fee (on a nonchange nonrefund thought-I-was-doomed ticket) and put me on the next day's flight.Oh, and then there's the time I misread the departure time as the checkin opening time for an EZY flight and missed it by an hour and some... a few minutes at the service counter and GBP50 later and I was on the later flight.
I expect being very polite helped me out in all cases when it was my fault, but really, if you've made a mistake yourself, go shout at the responsible party in the mirror in a room on your own, not any staff who might help you if they feel inclined...
Last edited by nicolai; 8th Dec 2009 at 23:49. Reason: ... forgot another one...