Traveling can teach you many lessons. To try new things. To take risks. To be patient. To trust yourself. To read the fine print. And quite importantly, to manage your time properly. If you’ve ever missed a bus, train or plane, you might know how stressful it can be. And how it can have a domino effect on the rest of your travel plans.
One man learned the hard way, when he arrived at the airport to see his plane taxiing down the runway. He immediately lost his cool, and took his anger out on the gate agent. The entitled passenger even demanded the plane returns to fetch him. Not surprisingly, his tantrum didn't have the desired effect.
Getting to the airport late is one of the worst things you can do when traveling
Image credits: lucigerma / Envato (not the actual photo)
When one man saw his plane taxi down the runway without him, he handled the situation in a very questionable manner
Image credits: lucigerma / Envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: DLS3141
There are ways to handle missing a flight, and throwing a tantrum is not one of them
Image credits: zinkevych / Freepik (not the actual photo)
People miss flights for various reasons. Sometimes through no fault of their own. And other times, they’re completely to blame. Either way, the end goal should be to get on another flight - as soon as possible. Experts advise passengers to let their booking agent or the airline know as soon as they realize they might be late.
Sometimes you might only realize you’re too late, when you’re already at the airport. In this case, you should go straight to the ticket desk and state your case in a calm and collected manner. Airline staff are there to assist you. The nicer you are, the higher your chances will be of getting the help you need. Screaming, shouting, and taking your anger out on staff is unlikely to get you on a flight faster.
Some airlines might charge you a fee to rebook your missed flight. And you could have to cover the difference in fare if the rebooked flight costs more. If you’re lucky, you’ll get onto a flight within a few hours. But that’s not always the case.
Some airlines could re-book you on a flight that leaves days later
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The man who threw a tantrum only managed to get a flight twelve hours later. But it could have been even worse. Travel blogger Kara Harms shared her experience of once being rebooked on a flight 6 days after the original one was canceled. “The agent told me they wouldn't pay for hotel options or give me a refund. While I was on the phone, my husband was looking up flights that day and found one with seats that left the same day,” said Harms.
“Then, I channeled my inner Karen and explained how I wasn't going to pay for 6 nights in a hotel waiting to fly home especially when I found a flight later that day online that still had seats. They eventually got me on that one with a lot of pushing.”
Planning properly in advance can often help you avoid missing flights in the first place
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Etiquette expert Diane Gottsman writes that you should always “pack your patience” when traveling. She says you should be prepared for any eventuality before you even leave for the airport and advises passengers to “download the airline app and make sure your phone is set to receive text alerts for quick updates to flight status and gate changes.”
One of the most obvious ways to avoid missing your flight is to get to the airport earlier than you need to. This online booking site warns that always sticking to a strict travel schedule, that includes very precise travel times to and from the airport, can actually work against you. "By doing this, you may forget to take any roadworks or traffic jams into consideration and arrive at the airport later than expected," reads the site.
The site notes that checking in online will also save you from standing in long queues. But once you’re checked in "the airline considers you to be on the plane and will not account for you if you are running late for your flight." If you miss your flight after you've confirmed your seat, you've wasted a seat that could have been given to a standby passenger.
Another tip is to reserve a parking space at the airport (if possible) so you don’t waste time trying to find a spot at the last minute. Gottsman also advises taking travel insurance. Just in case. “For a few extra dollars, you can have some security and peace of mind to know if something goes wrong, flights are delayed, or canceled, you will be covered without hurting your budget,” she wrote. Here are some other tips and tricks to help make your flight as smooth as possible.
"Never mess with the gatekeeper": People weighed in on the incident, with many calling out the passenger for his entitled behavior
"Costs nothing to be kind": Some netizens shared their own similar experiences
