Tag Archives: what to do if you miss your flight in another country

Have you packed everything you need for your trip? Your guidebooks, spare underwear, and hey, don’t forget your neck pillow, it’s important too. All these essentials are required to make your trip memorable and successful. There are certain things or I should say disasters that can easily ruin the fun of your well-sorted plan. Forgetting your passport at home is your problem but keeping a reminder would sort it. But, what if your passport gets stolen? The correct preparation can also help you deal with such problems. 

There can be some steps to start with to avoid any problem throughout your trip. These include labeling your luggage, carrying a copy of your birth certificate, and keeping some cash with you. In case you find yourself in some trouble, knowing how to tackle it can help you save some money and time. It will also save your vacation from getting ruined. So, follow these steps and know how to tackle the worst situations when traveling.

Losing Your Passport

It can be your worst nightmare to lose your passport. Imagine you open your bag or wallet and realize that your passport is not there anymore. Scary, right? Whether you lost it or it got stolen, either way, your first reflex action should be to act fast. You don’t know what happened to your passport, so, start by searching for your hotel room. Maybe you dropped it under the bed. Search every corner of your room. If you still don’t find it, contact your embassy.

What to do Now?

Your first step should always be to contact the police and after that immediately contact the local embassy. You would have to be physically available at your embassy to get an emergency passport to get back home. But, emergency passport has validity for a limited time only. So, once you are back in the States, apply for a new passport.

When you are leaving your home for your trip, make sure you also pack all the items that are required to get an emergency passport. If you don’t have all the essentials for getting it, you may get asked to provide an affidavit of a witness. He would have had to attest that you are indeed who you claim to be.

How to Prepare Yourself?

There are some items you will need when applying for an emergency passport. Put all those items in a bag and label it “emergency passport” or anything else you like. Also, rules for getting an emergency passport may differ from country-to-country. But no matter where you are going to keep the items listed below in the “emergency passport” bag.

A passport-size photo

A Photo ID

Proof of your citizenship

Travel itinerary

Also, it’s advisable to have a photocopy of your passport with you. 

Missing a Flight

Something I hate about flights. They could get hours late and you get no apology or discount for that. But, the day you are late even by 2 minutes at boarding, you are done. This can happen to anyone.

What to do Now?

Don’t waste your time saying goodbye to your plane and rush to your airline’s desk. Your airline might get you on the next flight, yes, it is possible. Whether you have to pay an extra charge or not depends upon your airline and whether it was your fault or not. If the next flight is booked, try to get onto the flight the next day. You can also ask them if there are any flights from their partner airlines. Always arrive on time. You may have to pay the full price of a ticket even if you get a flight. There’s also a chance that you may have to pay a little extra as you will depart the same day or the next day.

Also, if your luggage has been checked but you missed your flight, then your luggage would most probably reach the destination without you. So, run to your airline counter and ask them to locate your luggage. The airline may keep your bags until you arrive at the destination too. 

How to Prepare Yourself?

Arrive at the airport early! That’s the best advice. You can find a long check-in and security line, so, you must be extra careful. Also, check the flights online that are going to your destination on the day of your departure. List them down, so that even if you miss your flight, you have an idea of what flight are going to your destination. This way you can reach your destination on time. One of the best things you can do is to get travel insurance. It also covers missing a flight.

Bonus Tip:

If you are traveling with an emotional support dog in the US, make sure you don’t forget your ESA letter. It’s very important, as you would have to provide it when your airline authorities ask you to. Also, it is advisable to inform your airline that you will be traveling with your ESA.