We were recently on a FLIGHT THAT TURNED AROUND MIDAIR! So I was concerned we’d miss our connecting flight and be stuck overnight. Here’s what to do.
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On the way home from a recent trip, one of the passengers on the plane had a medical emergency about 15 minutes after take-off. The plane turned around and went back to Madrid. While I was happy that the passenger was getting the care he needed and seemed like he’d be ok, I was very concerned we’d miss our connecting flight out of London.
And, it wasn’t going to be as “simple” as getting all 7 of us on the next flight out. Our flight out of London was the last flight of the day. Missing the connecting flight would mean being stuck overnight. We’d need food, a place to stay, and a booking on a flight home the next day. And we were wiped, so I didn’t want to deal with all this once we were stranded in London either.
Keep reading for some tips on what to do if you think you’re going to miss a connecting flight.
Be Prepared with What You Have in Your Carry-On
There are a few things that I always make sure to have in my carry-on, regardless of how many pieces of luggage I’m checking. I always make sure I have a change of undergarments, toothbrush/toothpaste, and any prescription medications I’m taking. Same is true for each member of my family.
Another item that comes in handy when you miss a connecting flight is a set of AirTags. When you do make it onto your rebooked flight, tracking your luggage is an easy way to know that it made the flight too. And, if it didn’t, you won’t have to wait until the last bag is off the carousel to deal with it.
If the airline has to get your suitcase to you, you can easily track it every step of the way. Also, if you’re stuck overnight and decide to use airport luggage storage, you van set an alert on the tracker to remind you not to leave it behind–a realistic possibility with all the chaos of a missed flight combined with a bunch of cranky kids adults people.
Be Prepared by How You Book
Maybe it’s the Boy Scout in me (just kidding), but I generally like to be prepared. So, some of the reasons I book tickets the way I do is so that if (when?) things go wrong, it’s easier to deal with. You have a few options as to how to book your flight tickets and there are pros and cons to each–especially when you miss a connection.
Directly with the Airline
Booking directly with the airline is generally my method of choice. Book the entire trip–all the flight connections–on one itinerary with one confirmation number. This means the airline is responsible to get you (and your luggage) from one leg of your journey to the next and through to your final destination. If one leg of your journey is delayed and that results in you missing the next one, the airline has to rebook you on the next flight (or similar) and take care of you in the meantime (generally speaking, there are always exceptions).
So, if you booked with the airline, you will contact the airline directly to make arrangements.
With a Travel Agent/Concierge
Another safe option for booking your ticket is to use a travel agent or travel concierge service. If you book this way, your ticket will also usually be on one reservation number. I tend to go this route if I am booking something very complicated, don’t like the options I’m fining on my own, or need something more on the luxury or full-service end of the spectrum. And, if something does go wrong, the right travel concierge is just a phone call away 24/7 (or 24/6 as the case may be😉). S/he can deal with the airline and rebooking as necessary and you can just relax (or freak out if that’s more your style) in the airport lounge and wait for a call back.
So, if you booked through an agency, you will contact the agency directly to make arrangements.
Travel Concierge–At Your Service
Through an OTA
Booking through online travel agencies have become quite popular recently as a great way to save money. However, I prefer to use them as a price and schedule comparison tool. Then when I figure out which flight options make sense I can book directly with the airline. This is one reason I like Kayak as an OTA; it gives you the option to book directly with the airline when you find what you like. It also gives you the option to filter out “self-transfer” routes.
In general, OTAs are a great money-saving choice when things go well. But, when things go wrong there isn’t really anyone to contact to help you.
So, if you booked through an OTA, you might have to contact them directly to make arrangements and you might be out of luck.
Self-Transfer
Self-Transfer tickets are often the best way to save money. But they are also the most risky. Self-Transfer tickets are when you combine a bunch of separate tickets to get you where you want to go. For example, let’s say you live in New York and you want to go to Rome. That could be pricing around $1000 for the dates you’re looking at. But, you might find a roundtrip between NY and Paris for about $500 and a separate roundtrip between Paris and Rome for less than $100. A simple way to save $400!
But, if your return flight to Paris is delayed and you miss your flight back to NY, you’ll be stuck. You’ll have no recourse because you are entirely responsible for the booking. You’ll have to buy yourself a new [last-minute] ticket back to New York. The best way to avoid this problem is to ensure MORE THAN ENOUGH time between flights–or even plan to explore Paris overnight. (But keep in mind the same holds true for your luggage. If it doesn’t make it to Paris in time, the airline is not responsible to get it to you in NY. So use Luggage Forward to get it back to you.)
11 Time Saving Tips to Make the Most of Your Layover
So, if you booked a self-transfer, you really are out of luck so plan to have an emergency fund.
Bonus Booking Tip
Use a good travel credit card to book your ticket. A good travel card (see links at the end of this post) will come with some great travel insurance benefits for delayed, cancelled, and missed flights.
Credit Card Transfer Partners Complete (and simple) Guide
Be Prepared with a Few Apps
There are a few apps I would recommend downloading before any trip. Make sure you have a flight tracking app. The two that I use most often are Flight Aware and Flighty. You can use both apps to track your flight in real time; the apps will often notify you of delays before the airline does. You can also track the plane on its inbound. If the inbound flight is delayed, in all likelihood the plane won’t be ready on time for your flight.
You can also see the flight plan when it’s filed and know how long the flight will actually be. Most airlines schedules inflate the flight length to ensure an “on-time record”.
I also make sure that I have the airline’s app. I can use it for mobile boarding pass (always take a screenshot too, in case there’s no reception). But, if my flight is delayed and I am concerned we’ll miss our connection, I can use the app to easily see what my other flight options are. By default you’ll most likely be booked on the next flight to your destination, but that isn’t necessarily the best flight. There may be a flight with a connection that will get you to your destination hours earlier than waiting around for the “first flight out” to your destination.
Or, in our case, if we were stuck overnight in London I didn’t want to have to wake my kids to make a 6 AM flight.
When You Think You’re Going to Miss a Connecting Flight
We were going to be on the ground for a while. The medics had to evacuate the passenger. His seat had to be sanitized. We had to refuel. And, a new flight plan had to be filed.
I was on the Phone with the Airline Immediately
The airline didn’t even know what was going on. So, since it wasn’t “official” yet, they couldn’t actually rebook us. However, I was assured that “if what I was reporting was accurate and verified” and as a result we missed our connection, we’d be rebooked. The representative gave me several flight options the next day that had sufficient space. She told us we’d get hotel vouchers and a meal allowance. (Kosher Travel Tip: the allowance can be used for anything, not specific restaurants–at least we’d be in a city with kosher options.)
She said that in order to make any of it happen, we’d have to go to a gate agent when we landed in London and take care of everything there. But she walked me through the process and gave me a rundown of the benefits. (Kosher Travel Tip: make sure to request kosher meals on your new flight as soon as possible to allow the most time to make it happen–but assume it won’t and prepare accordingly.)
Pro Tip: Call the airline while waiting to speak to the gate agent–this way your are essentially in two lines simultaneously. There may be a long line and the phone agent will also be able to help you and will not have dealt with multiple irate passengers. Regardless of where the help comes from, be polite. It’s not the gate agent’s fault your flight was delayed. They have to put you on a flight, but they don’t have to accommodate your preference (but they can). And it never hurts to be nice.
Keep in mind, the only reason we even had this option was because we had booked directly with the airline on a single reservation. If we had booked a self-transfer itinerary, then our only option would have been to book all new tickets out of London and pay for our own overnight accommodations.
I Emailed Friends in London Simultaneously
We have a couple acquaintances in London, so I emailed them while I was on hold with the airline. I let them know there was a chance we might be stuck overnight but wouldn’t know definitively for a few hours.
By the time we landed in London, we had several offers for a warm meal, a place to stay, and rides from the airport. It was amazing. All they needed to know was how many mattresses to borrow and what time we were coming.
I also texted a travel concierge that I work with and put him on alert if we ran into any unforeseen issues. (Like I said, “Boy Scout”.)
We Made It
We got to London. Ran through the airport. And happily informed our friends that we wouldn’t be coming for the night. (Or need a dinner delivery to the airport.) We expressed our immense gratitude and said we’d connect next time we’re in London.
As we boarded the flight we breathed a deep sigh of relief. We made it. And, we’d be sleeping back in our own beds. But, we now had a full contingent plan should we ever need it in the future.
Have you ever been concerned you’d miss a connecting flight? Did you prepare ahead of time? Or wait and see what happened? Let me know!
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