Buzz
1. Check your ticket conditions
The first thing you should do when you miss your flight is to quickly scan through the airline's policies, especially those related to missing flights, understand the regulations of the airline, and how any mishaps will be addressed. Ideally, you should do this when purchasing the ticket, but in reality, not many people read and grasp these terms.
Review the ticket conditions carefully; depending on the airline, you may have to pay a certain fee when booking a new ticket
For example, with Vietnam Airlines, depending on the type of ticket, you will have to pay a certain fee when purchasing a new ticket. Vietnam Airlines stipulates the fee for ticket changes as follows:
- Flexible Business Class: Free of charge
- Standard Business Class: Free of charge
- Flexible Economy Class: Free of charge
- Standard Economy Class: 600,000 VND
- Economy Saver: Not permitted
Or with Vietjet, you will be considered late if you arrive within 40 minutes before the flight time (check-in counter closure time) and fail to complete the check-in process on time. At this point, you will have to pay the late fee at the check-in counter, which is stipulated at 440,000 dong, and transfer to the next flight (subject to availability).
2. Communicate with the airline
Some airlines have unofficial flexible rules for passengers. This means they may book you on the next flight if they see you missed the flight for a valid reason. Therefore, what you should do is communicate with the airline representative, where you purchased the ticket, to explain in detail why you missed the flight, whether you can change to another flight, etc. You may be able to get another flight soon.
Communicate with the airline in a friendly manner to find the most reasonable solution
Especially, if you miss the flight due to a situation like a traffic accident on the way to the airport. If lucky and with timely evidence, you may not lose the ticket you just missed but get it rebooked without charge. Notify the airline as soon as possible; early action will benefit both parties, as the airline can resell the ticket to someone in need at the last minute.
3. Inform the hotel, family, and business partners
If your flight delay is certain, the next thing you should do is inform your hotel - where you have booked a room, whether for business or leisure, to confirm the change in check-in time for you, to avoid misunderstandings and cancellation of your booking. You should do this as soon as you know you're late for the flight. Some hotels will allow you to reschedule check-in within a certain period without charge. Others will charge you a fee for being late if you want to rebook the room. In the worst case, if your booking is canceled, quickly find a hotel with available rooms to rebook.
Notify the hotel to adjust the schedule accordingly
Furthermore, you should also call to inform your family, friends, and business partners that you are delayed so that they don't worry, and at the same time, demonstrate your courtesy and integrity.
4. Relax and prepare mentally for the next trip
At this moment, relax and regain your composure for the next trip and organize your tasks properly. Many people lose their composure when their flight is delayed, completely losing control and behaving impolitely with airport staff and those around them, which further hinders the arrangement of the next flight for you. Instead of panicking, give yourself moments of calmness or enjoy some of your favorite foods, and you'll find things gradually getting better.
Maintain a relaxed mindset, unwind to prepare for the next flight
Above is how to handle flight delays that Vntrip wants to share with you. Hopefully, after this article, you will gain more experience and stay calm if you encounter this situation.
