If you are late for a plane, what can you do? Information for air travelers

Someone plans to travel strongly in advance and buys tickets six months in advance, and then waits impatiently for the appointed date, someone flies every week for work or other circumstances and considers the airports as the second home, someone chooses something middle ... But all passengers are united by one: the need to correctly calculate the time of arrival at the airport. Therefore, everyone at least once asked the question: "If you are late for a plane, what can you do?". Let's try to figure this out.

Causes of delays

First of all, we will consider the situation, due to which the passengers are often late for the plane. In the first place this, of course, later arrival at the airport. In large cities, for example, in Moscow, this is due to traffic jams, which can be caught at the most inopportune moment.

The second most common cause is confusion over time. This happens in most cases in people who bought tickets at night - from zero hours. Remember that after zero hours it is the next day. For example, your departure time is 00:30 on August 15th. Then the airport must arrive on August 14. No matter how comical this may sound, there were cases when, having bought a ticket for a long time and thoroughly prepared for the trip, in the end the passenger was late for the plane.

Another possible reason is relevant for connecting flights. More details of this kind will be considered separately. But in short we note that there are many offers on air ticket sales sites at very attractive prices, where docking between flights is twenty to thirty minutes. In no case should you come across such tricks and purchase these tickets, even if you are sure that you are perfectly oriented at the specified airports and have time to land without re-registration. Do not have time. Moreover, you will lose money and spoil your trip together with your mood. However, about what threatens you if you still do not have time on the plane, a little later.

What to do in order not to miss the plane

Check in advance (preferably days in two or three) the time and date of departure. Moreover, if tickets were purchased long ago or a charter flight. In the latter case, the departure time can be constantly changed. But even if you fly on a regular route and purchased a travel document more recently, you should still double-check yourself. In the future this simple action will help you avoid spending nerves, money and convulsive searches for answers to the question: "If you are late for a plane, what should you do?".

Many air ticket sales sites feature a reminder of the upcoming flight for the day. You can also set yourself a reminder on your smartphone. This will help you to minimize the risks of being late for such a procedure as registering for an airplane.

Count on time on the road

Be sure to leave some stock. It is better to arrive earlier for half an hour or forty minutes than to come running for registration last. Or come running and see on the scoreboard that check-in for a plane or even landing is over. There can always be unforeseen situations on the road - traffic jams, repairs, car breakdowns, etc.

Remember that registration for international flights usually starts in three hours and ends forty-five minutes before departure. With internal flights, things are less strict: the beginning of an hour and a half, the completion of registration - half an hour before departure. There may be minor variations of this time, depending on which airline you choose. More precise information can be seen on the purchased ticket.

In addition, check out the information about the airport from which you will fly. If previously you were not in it, of course, specially to go and study the location of terminals is not necessary. But it will not be superfluous to go to the airport's official website (if any), and see the latest news. It is possible that one of the terminals is closed for repairs, in which case you will need more time for the journey.

Also, before getting acquainted with the airport, it is advisable to look at his scheme, to think how long it will take to get to the terminal you need, read the reviews. This is especially important if you fly at the peak of the tourist season, when most of the airports in the resort cities are overloaded, employees are working slowly and the queue is moving slowly.

Always pay attention to the tariff conditions

Do this, even if you do not have any prerequisites to the fact that you may not be in time to land and you have never asked yourself the question: "If you are late for a plane, what should you do?". As they say, who is forewarned is armed, so in case of unforeseen circumstances, read this information. Particular attention should be paid to the point where the exchange and refund of air tickets is stipulated.

If you bought travel documents for connecting flights or, especially, for flights with transfers, this item must be carried out necessarily. Too careless attitude and the hope for the absence of delayed flights can subsequently cost you very much.

You are still late for registration. What to do?

Do not panic. Recall that registration for international flights ends in forty-five minutes, on domestic flights - half an hour before departure, so if you have about the time you have left, and you are standing at the very end of the general queue, look for a special check-in counter for late passengers. Unfortunately, it is not available at all airports, and this service can be paid for an economy class - about two thousand rubles. But this is your real chance to use the ticket and catch the plane. If the rack is not, try to find a representative of your airline and explain the situation to him. The main thing is do not idle, but try to spend precious time with the mind.

You are late before you arrive at the airport

If you understand that you are late at home or on the way to the airport, be sure to let this agency or contact person of the company through which the travel document was purchased. If you can make a phone call before the registration is complete, then take off your accusation of not appearing on the flight, which will allow you to make at least a partial refund of the cost of air tickets, if this is your tariff, or rebook your seat for the next flight.

When you still get to the airport, as soon as possible, contact your airline representative. Try to calmly explain the essence of the problem and listen carefully to what the employee will offer you. You can either transfer to the nearest flight, or, if you want, carry out the return of air tickets, refund part of the funds in accordance with your tariff.

In the latter case, the least lucky for passengers of economy class and charter flights: they are returned only airport charges or nothing at all. When buying a business class ticket, you can return the full cost.

If you have a connecting flight

First, as it was already recommended earlier, do not buy tickets with short docking. In addition, try to know in advance which airport will be transplanted, because it may happen that you will have to go a long time from one point to another.

It is better to expect the necessary time for docking, based on the following factors: to change at the same airport for at least two hours (so that your luggage can reload), if you and the children add up to this time for another hour, if you change at another airport, then You need at least three hours.

Remember, you need a boarding pass for the transfer , so it's better to register immediately for two flights. If you fly different airlines, use the online registration service.

Delay for landing

Another problem, because of which there may be a delay on the aircraft. You do not have to ask yourself the question: "How to get a boarding pass?", You were registered at the airport or online, but then there were duty-free shops before your eyes ... And forgetting about the time, you became interested in shopping. And maybe everything is much more prosaic, because you still have time to pass security control at the airport, which can be a procedure that is not fast at the height of the season or simply because of the unhurried work of the airport staff.

If you see that the queue is moving too slowly and you do not have time to pass passport and customs control, approach the airport specialist and try to explain to him the problem that has arisen. Perhaps you will be helped to undergo this procedure in an accelerated mode. But if there is no one around to whom you could contact, try to negotiate with those who stand in front of you in line.

You're still late. Landing is complete. What to do?

As sad as it may sound, but such cases are not uncommon. And it's not so important whether your plane is still on the ground or is already gaining ground - if the landing is over, you will not be admitted to the salon. The fact is that airlines carry heavy penalties for flight delays, the risk of collision of aircraft in the air is increased. Nobody wants this, so now your actions should be as follows.

Finally after being late for the plane, approach the rack of your airline and explain the situation. The specialist will find a solution: if you were to fly a business class, you will be sent the next flight if there are seats.

If you had an economy class ticket, you will most likely have to purchase a new travel document. Well, if you get some of the amount of unused ticket. In both cases, everything depends on the chosen tariff, so always carefully study the conditions of exchange and return of the ticket purchased.

Finally

So, once again we will answer the question: "If you are late for a plane, what should you do?". First, do not panic. Secondly, try to stay calm and follow the recommendations. Third, remember that there are no desperate situations , and there are always people around you who can help.