No matter whether you are a frequent or an occasional flyer, it is every traveler’s worst nightmare to miss their flight, and it happens even to the ones who are the most organized among us. But what happens if you miss your flight after checking in?
Missing a flight after checking in can materialize for various reasons, including involuntary and voluntary. However, all is still not lost, and there are multiple ways around the situation through which you can salvage and figure out a solution.
Firstly, calm down and take a deep breath. Despite your best efforts, it is okay that you did not make it. Now that you are not on board be aware of what happens if you miss your flight after checking in.
What Happens If You Miss Your Flight After Checking In?
To find out exactly what the outcome will be to what happens if you miss your flight after checking in, you need to know specifically whose fault it is.
Airline’s Fault
If it is due to an inconvenience and an issue in the aircraft or because of some reason from the airline’s end that you did not take the plane, such as natural issues (bad weather), technical fault, or political issues.
In that case, even after checking in then, there are a variety of options for you, such as free overnight accommodations, meal vouchers, and automatic rebooking available in some cases.
Additionally, you will likely be compensated with refunds, immediately booked on another flight that departs and reaches the travel destination on the same day and through the same route, or receive a free travel voucher.
All airlines may not be this lenient towards their customers and be hospitable to ensure their comfort. Regardless, they have policies to rebook passengers onto another flight for a minimally charged additional fee. The original price of your ticket dictates the charge.
Customer’s Fault
However, if it is solely your fault that you do not show up to your designated seat on the plane, then the airline will classify and demonstrate you as a “no show.” As a result, the airline has the right to cancel the remaining of your itinerary and leave you only with a few alternatives for rebooking and refunds.
Likewise, in this event where you made the check-in through the desk and missed the flight due to an inconvenience, you would have to contact the airline’s helpline or their physical Helpdesk instantly.
Do not anticipate being compensated through the offer of a refund, as your carelessness led you to this situation in the first place.
Supposedly, you are flying on United States Airlines; then you can take advantage of their “flat tire” policy per. If you have checked in through the web and have shown up at the airport right after, explain to the airline’s respective Helpdesk agents about the cause of missing your flight because of reasonable reasons.
Checking In Online And Missing Flight
Often travelers stuck in horrendous traffic while on their way to the airport have a frantic fear of missing out on their flight, so as a last resort, they seek to check in online on their seat, hoping to make it in time.
The main concern raised by such passengers is whether they are granted an edge over those travelers who check in at a desk and miss their flight. The answer to this is simple, whether you check in, in person or online, generally missing a flight after checking in more or less has the same certain consequences.
Specific procedures and policies still depend on the airline you are traveling with and the ticket type that you have purchased, but the following are some crucial repercussions that you are bound to face:
Status of “no-show”
Even after you have checked in online and fail to arrive at the airport’s departure gate on time, just like it is with a physical check-in and missing flight, in this case scenario as well, the airline typically marks you as a “no-show” for the particular flight.
A “no-show” defines a passenger who does not board the aircraft and is considered to have canceled their reservation voluntarily.
Rebooking
You checked in online and failed to take the flight. Does this mean you are entitled to instant rebooking on the subsequent flight with the same airline? No, you are not; in fact, the airline might not spontaneously rebook you on their next flights, especially when it was your careless behavior as a reason to miss the flight.
Depending on the situation and the fare guidelines, you must book a new ticket or even pay fees to be accommodated on another flight to prove to the airlines that your behavior was not voluntary.
Ticket Refunds
No one who misses their flight before checking in online or physically, or without checking in at all, gets a refund of their ticket money. Ticket refunds mostly happen when your flight is missed because of the airline.
Some airlines still offer their customers a partial credit or refund for future travel, which is highly determined by their policies and the kind of ticket you purchased.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Do they charge you if you miss your flight?
If your behavior of missing flights has a pattern, you are only charged when rebooking.
What happens if you miss an online check-in?
The same outcomes as missing a physical check-in also apply to online check-in.
What happens if you check in online and do not turn up?
You will be marked as a “no-show,” and all your other connecting, returning, and pending flights will be canceled.
Can a plane leave early without you?
When you do not make it on board within the airline’s specified spans, the flight can leave early without you.
Conclusion
The consequences of what happens if you miss your flight after checking in are not favorable at all. Not only do you have all your other itineraries canceled, but you are also in an uncertain position with rebooking. So keep track of time every time after you check in on a flight!
