Flying tomorrow to Germany, I am on miles and my partner paid full fare.

Her passport is finally getting here tomorrow. Just confirmed with FEDEX that they it is on the way. She applied 14 weeks ago and it took my congressman to intervene to get it for tomorrow. I know it should have been done sooner, but that is another story.

Bottom line we are not leaving the house until the passport is in hand, as a result we may end up us missing my flight.

Our flight leaves at 3:00, we can catch the 5:00, it has open seats as of now, and still make the connection to Germany.

FEDEX says I will get it the latest by 3:00, the airport is 20 minutes away.

So how do we play this?

I certainly don't want to have to pay the $200 change fee plus charges to reschedule this now. I'm not sure I will even be able to reschedule my ticket on miles at this late date.

Do we just show up as soon as we can, and if we missed the first flight say help, our car broke down on the way?

Will they show mercy on us?

In 20 years I have never missed a flight and just don't know what to expect.

What would you do in my shoes.

Steve

1st thing I would do is call FedEx and see if I could pick it up from them rather then wait for them to bring it to me.

Called FEDEX already...

They said I couldn't pick it up, at least this CSR told me that.

I am going to call again in a little bit to see if I get an better answer.

Steve

what happened to FEDEX delivering by 10 am or before 8 am????/

There are three next day options for FedEx. First thing (8AM) Next Morning (10AM) and next day (by 3 PM) (Not the exact wording of the services)

The delivery time is dependant on which service was picked when the package is shipped. Same thing for the "hold for pickup" option.

The OP doesn't specify their exact itinerary (domestic flight connecting to international flight, international flight only?), but if this is a domestic flight segment to start the trip, you do OLCI, and you have no checked bags, you only need to show up at the gate 15 minutes before the flight.

You may also want to see if you can use the "Confirmed Standby" option to get on the later flight. I don't have any experience with this, though, or whether you can confirm your standby seat before you get to the airport.

Have you tried calling CO and explaining?

The airlines are well aware of the Passport Agency's delays these days, and some are waiving change fees and/or making accommodation.

I'm not sure where CO stands on this, but you may be able to get someone to help you.

Just go to the airport. If you show up with in 2 hours, typically any airline will accommodate you on the next available flight. This is sometimes called the "flat tire rule," even though often it has nothing to do with car trouble. Don't go in to some crazy story, just tell the agent you missed your flight. They probably won't care why. I can't remember the last time an agent cared specifically why I missed my flight. You could mention the passport thing if you wanted, but again it doesn't really matter.

One thing to keep in mind is that loads are high, so there is a possibility that they will not be able to accommodate you until the next day if all flights are full and you don't make it on standby. If that happens, typically the airport will syncranize your e-ticket for the next days flight and not charge you a change fee or additional collection. This is at the agents discretion, but they can do it if they feel like doing it.

I would NOT call any airline about this. First, res agents typically do not have the discretion that the airport agents do, for instance, they would have to charge you the change fee plus fare difference to move your flight. Second, often times reservations will enter in a comment in a reservation saying what you were advised the policy is. E.g. that you were advised it is the change fee plus fare difference to change flights. This will make it more difficult for you when you naively show up at the airport having missed your flight.

I miss flights several times a year due to work, ground transportation (I live in BOS ) or sometimes because I buy the cheapest ticket at say 6:00 A.M. and go later. I would say 99% of the time I am able to get out the same day, and the worse thing thats ever happened to me is I have had to travel the next day which is sometimes a blessing as it gives you more time to pack, relax, etc.

It is really no big deal as long as you keep your cool, and just work it out at the airport.

The online check in suggestion is also a good one especially if you think you may be able to cut it close.

Finally odds are Fedex will deliver before 3, but that depends a bit on the route you have for Fedex delivery. But I would say its the exception at least for me to get the package right at the cut off time.

You'll of course also save time with no checked baggage to worry about.

Also the gate agents can rebook your mileage ticket for you even if the special class for awards is not available especially if its a same day thing.

If you really want to sort it out beforehand, go to the airport before your departure date and see if they will move you to a later flight. This can work too.

Whatever you do, don't call. I can fill pages of horror stories of what might happen to you if you call, so don't do it . Hint, it involves you paying a lot of extra money to the airlines.

I agree - don't call the airline ahead of time. But do call FedEx again. If they can't hold it at the depot, see if you can pay to upgrade to an earlier delivery time (to the same address). FedEx has the same issues that the airlines do: the call center will have to work within more rigid guidelines than the local station. So, if you can't get help from the toll free number, call the local station directly and plead your case. You better get on this right away, as once it gets loaded onto a truck, it's probably too late. You may have to get there at 6am or something like that, but you have to decide how important it is to you.

Called FEDEX back last night and the second agent was able to hold the package at the depot.

Confirmed using the website it is there, heading out in a little bit to pick it up.

I did get great advice, "Don't call" and the "Flat tire rule".

Thanks to all.

Steve

Well maybe its for the better, because a friend missed many a flights in her days too, and she always seemed to get the shaft from the airlines. She would be sent scurrying around JFK on a bus in the rain with a baby and stroller, etc. I don't ever recall her getting any kind of special favor from the airlines, and she just had the worst lucfk. Part of it, and I'm not sure if this is all of it, at least for a time she was in to punk rock, and I'm sure that look didn't help her case.

One time I think it was TWA she bought a ticket for let's say $90 JFK to BOS roundtrip. But instead, the agent issued it at a different fare a $90 one way fare. She was rushing at JFK. So she gets to BOS, and they tell her she just had only a oneway ticket.

They tell her to go back to JFK and find the agent that issued the ticket, and she says she doesn't remember the agent, like he was just another brick in the wall at JFK and there was nothing particular about him. I thought that slant on the song and the story was funny. And TWA never didn anything to help, and I think she ended up taking bus. At the time I think she was also trying to take a pitch fork on the plane (some punk rock thing) and again that may have been to detriment .

So I'm guessing everything worked out ok?