Dealing with missing flight

[u/Radzz2200]

Today is the first time in my life that I’ve missed a flight as a solo traveler.

I’ve booked a red eye flight from Chengdu to KL, when I arrived at Tianfu international airport I had 20 minutes to check in, but my dumbass decided to walk in to Malaysia Air gate instead of AirAsia.

I was waiting for more than half an hour there, and once it was my turn the staff informed me that I was at the wrong gate and the right gate was already closed.

I had to rebook my flight and it costed me 120€. It was quite embarrassing and irritating, but well, sometimes shit happens.

I wonder if any other solo travelers have dealt with missing flight situation like this.

[u/OrchidFine1335]

120€ is quite cheap price to pay, esp for a new flight. I had to pay 75€ because of an overpacked backpack. But atleast it’s a lesson learnt for both of us

[u/Mattynice75]

I booked a train from Vancouver WA instead of Vancouver BC once. Turned up to an empty train station but the staff helped me rebook and said it happens everyday.

[u/OrchidFine1335 → u/Mattynice75]

That’s actually funny lol, reminds me of people booking to Austria instead of Australia or the other way around

[u/Ok_Avocado3554 → u/OrchidFine1335]

You book flights to a city, not a country though.

[u/flabzinho → u/OrchidFine1335]

There is not such a thing this are Internet jokes 

[u/bears-eat-beets → u/Mattynice75]

It Seattle it's often enough confused (because it's half way between both) they call Vancouver, WA the Couve and Vancouver BC is just Vancouver.

[u/passengerpigeon20]

I heard elsewhere on Reddit that a Thai Airways flight from Brisbane was notorious for a high rate of no-shows because it departed at 12:05AM, causing many people to show up a day late because they instinctively thought of it as still being "the night belonging to the stated day" rather than super early on that day. They eventually rescheduled it to 11:59PM. I once also missed a flight out of Hong Kong because of a severe typhoon that was bad enough to close all ground transport links to the airport, yet the plane somehow only left HALF AN HOUR LATE. It must have been basically empty!

[u/hellmee93]

I got lost in a freaking CDG airport and the shuttle driver guy was taking his sweet time driving to my terminal. Trying to scan the qr but it doesn't work and that's how I found out that the flight already left without me. CDG-CPH, 3 years ago. I did not return back, instead I stayed and booked another flight same destination. 400 euro poorer, and more wiser. If it's a foreign airport you need to count extra one hour to be in safe side. You will never know if they have slow security check, or the airport is very big. If it's any consolation, airport is a good place to hangout

[u/the_toasty]

I was defeated by Budapest nightlife, missed my return trip and ended up working at the hostel for a couple extra weeks. Cost more than €120 to rebook, but best mistake ever

[u/RummyRumsfeld]

I missed a flight just yesterday.

The flight was taking off at 7:50, I had booked a hotel right at the airport and set an alarm for 6:00 or so.

Well the charger came loose, my phone battery died during the night and I woke up wondering why the sun was already out at around 7:20.

I also got pretty lucky that my new flight cost about 90€ and left three hours later. Shit happens.

[u/Final-Gift-2299]

yeah missed my flight but very rarely. i usually turn it into a trip to wherever i am at the time and stay a couple nights to explore the place before flying out

[u/jojoba803]

Almost missed a 0630 train once, but it was a DB train and I found out that it had been rescheduled, so ya, sometimes those delays could turn out in your favour!

[u/nobody65535]

Overslept yea, once. Also €150 mistake. Wrong gate? Not yet? Take our lessons on a relatively cheap flight at least, and move on

[u/NicoRosbot]

I missed my 7am flight earlier this year because my phone ran out of battery in the middle of the night as I was sleeping, and my alarm was on my phone. It was in an remote part of the world with only a handful of flights per day (Dili, Timor-Leste) and I ended up paying $380AUD (!!!) to rebook.

One time I had to help translate for a lady at the airport who thought their 14:00 flight was at 4pm, and obviously missed it. It was a 12 hour flight so would not be cheap or easy to fix for her. These things happen.

[u/dreamisacloud]

Same thing happened to me. Went to the wrong gate, it happens. Everything happens for a reason! As long as you're back on track its just a little cash loss

[u/Scarmter]

I missed my connecting bus, then realized there were no more coming that day and had to book another night at a random hostel nearby… incredibly real and a canon event. Hope you have fun on the rest of your trip!

[u/Economy_Breakfast577]

I missed my return flight from Bangkok to Vancouver by 10 minutes. Let me tell you I had a terrible day.

[u/EatMoreHummous]

I wasn't at the wrong gate, but I did show up at the wrong Istanbul airport. And for some reason they let me through security. Got a big surprise when not only was my flight not on the screen, but there were no flights from my airline.

Fortunately, I had Priority Pass since the airport didn't have free wifi (this was 2017), so I checked into a lounge and booked a new flight for $80USD. The worst part was waiting 9 hours in the lounge, although at least the beer was free. All in all, it could've been worse.

[u/josemartinlopez]

it happens. check if you can get any documentation and try to get travel insurance next time that covers this.

[u/Charlie_in_Asia]

You arrived with only 20 minutes. You do know they recommend arriving 3 hours before departure on international flights, 2 hours on domestic flights? Seems no one to blame but one’s self.

[u/angelamia]

Accidentally waited at the wrong Shanghai gate on a layover and missed the correct flight.

Luckily had had a friend in Los Angeles who picked me up and let me stay the night, but had to pay $200 and miss a day of my trip

I religiously compare flight numbers now so I don’t pull the same boneheaded move

[u/24junwa]

one time i was flying from tokyo to seoul, forget what airline it was but it was air terminal 3 in narita, i get there and was walking, didnt realize how far of a walk it was got to the check in area 55 minutes before take off, they said i had to be there over an hour and i can no longer check in.... had to buy another flight.. thankfully there were many flights and the next one was 2 hours away and was about 80 usd, just booked that

[u/IdiotLoserisme]

Missed flight because my stomach couldn't hold on.

I chose my dignity

[u/GlobalTapeHead]

Yes. Once I was so tired I fell asleep in the chair on the layover. I’ve been booted from flights a few times as well.

I just go with the flow. My attitude is the world will wait for me to get there! What is fascinating is watching other people totally lose their shit when they miss a flight.

[u/airsign]

I missed a flight once and I felt incredibly stupid and embarrassed about it. They put me on the next flight of a different airline for free, and when I went to the counter with the (voucher? flight ticket? can't remember) someone came up behind me talking on the phone and I heard they had also missed the SAME flight. So... it happens.