How often do you miss flights?
Dec 17, 2009, 6:06 pm
#61
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,286
I've flown over 700k BIS miles and have never missed a flight due to my own mistake, poor judgment, or failure to plan ahead. I've come close a few times when alarm clocks have failed or traffic has been really bad or a taxi driver has inexplicably chosen the scenic route around town, but I've always made it. That's the point of planning ahead. You double- or triple-check the things you're relying on, and you allow time not just for the expected difficulties but for the unexpected, too.
Dec 17, 2009, 7:35 pm
#62
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Melbourne Aus
Posts: 7
Zero flights missed due to my fault
I put it down to being organised and getting to the airport on time. By ontime, that means allowing for unexpected delays.
This won't make me friends, but it irks me that there is no reward for this. People who are late, miss flights etc get to hold me up while I am waiting not-so-patiently in line.
I put it down to being organised and getting to the airport on time. By ontime, that means allowing for unexpected delays.
This won't make me friends, but it irks me that there is no reward for this. People who are late, miss flights etc get to hold me up while I am waiting not-so-patiently in line.
Dec 17, 2009, 8:59 pm
#64
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LA (Lower Alabama) and on the road!
Programs: DL DM&MM, PC PM, MR LTP, HH DM
Posts: 128
I miss flights......get over it......
Ok, So I guess I'm the worst FF here. I miss at least one a week, I HAVE missed 2 the same day!
Now understand, I travel & WORK. I carry a 26" with 5 days worth of clothes (10 day work schedule), a 55lb tool kit, a 22" that I always check with safety equipment and the ability to take some of the wieght off of the other bags if I HAVE to get them under 50 lbs, and my Kensington Contour Roller (greatest computer bag ever!). So, for 1 thing, I have to check bags, which means a 30-45 min cutoff, depending on the airport. And I often am booking the flight as I leave the customer location, then traffic or lack of fueling stations for the rental, or any number of problems returning the rental and catching the bus cause me to miss a flights first leg. As for connections, I've missed dozens of flights, not because I can't plan a connection, sometimes I've missed with 1-2 or in one case 3 hour planned layover due to inbound flight problems. Back in the America West days, I never MADE a connection in PHX or LAS, NEVER, out of maybe 10-11 flights
.
Of these hundreds of missed flights over the past 10 years, I can count on one hand the number of times it caused me any real stress. There's always another flight, route, or rental car to get to another airport. As I watch the fools running through ATL, DTW, JFK etc - It AIN'T worth running, either you're already late, or your flight is delayed
Don't WORRY - BE HAPPY!
Admittedly, part of my relaxed outlook is due to Plat on Delta and Chairman's on US, they will both (and their associated teams) rebook me with no hassle or change fees. My only real headache has been AA, and I simply refuse to fly them now.
Now understand, I travel & WORK. I carry a 26" with 5 days worth of clothes (10 day work schedule), a 55lb tool kit, a 22" that I always check with safety equipment and the ability to take some of the wieght off of the other bags if I HAVE to get them under 50 lbs, and my Kensington Contour Roller (greatest computer bag ever!). So, for 1 thing, I have to check bags, which means a 30-45 min cutoff, depending on the airport. And I often am booking the flight as I leave the customer location, then traffic or lack of fueling stations for the rental, or any number of problems returning the rental and catching the bus cause me to miss a flights first leg. As for connections, I've missed dozens of flights, not because I can't plan a connection, sometimes I've missed with 1-2 or in one case 3 hour planned layover due to inbound flight problems. Back in the America West days, I never MADE a connection in PHX or LAS, NEVER, out of maybe 10-11 flights
.Of these hundreds of missed flights over the past 10 years, I can count on one hand the number of times it caused me any real stress. There's always another flight, route, or rental car to get to another airport. As I watch the fools running through ATL, DTW, JFK etc - It AIN'T worth running, either you're already late, or your flight is delayed
Don't WORRY - BE HAPPY! Admittedly, part of my relaxed outlook is due to Plat on Delta and Chairman's on US, they will both (and their associated teams) rebook me with no hassle or change fees. My only real headache has been AA, and I simply refuse to fly them now.
Dec 17, 2009, 11:49 pm
#65
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SFO/OAK ex DCA ex ALB
Posts: 625
I've missed six I can remember, which works out to about one every other year for the period during which I've flown regularly. Three of them involved significant factors that made them substantially not my fault. Once, for example, a last-minute "do before you go" work assignment made a colleague and I miss a BOS-LGA shuttle; no big deal, as we were accommodated on the next one. I missed two others with help from our friends at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
The other three were plainly and completely my fault. One of them you can read about here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...l#post12207159
The last two were on the same day about 30 minutes apart. Holding a refundable WN ticket for an afternoon BWI-ALB flight and needing to be in ALB that evening, I decided I'd rather pick up two US segments, got cute and booked a refundable late evening BWI-PHL-ALB routing for the same price, planning to "move up" to afternoon US flights (which were pricing much higher) when I got to BWI. Got confirmed on the afternoon US BWI-PHL leg, but upon reaching the departure gate found it delayed enough to jeopardize my connection in PHL. I hesitated too long before giving up, so that when I finally hustled back to the A gates, I got held up at security just long enough to miss my WN flight by 5 minutes. Doubled back to the US gates and missed my delayed flight to PHL by even less. Ended up taking a different WN flight two hours later, so I didn't even get the segments after all . . . .
The other three were plainly and completely my fault. One of them you can read about here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...l#post12207159
The last two were on the same day about 30 minutes apart. Holding a refundable WN ticket for an afternoon BWI-ALB flight and needing to be in ALB that evening, I decided I'd rather pick up two US segments, got cute and booked a refundable late evening BWI-PHL-ALB routing for the same price, planning to "move up" to afternoon US flights (which were pricing much higher) when I got to BWI. Got confirmed on the afternoon US BWI-PHL leg, but upon reaching the departure gate found it delayed enough to jeopardize my connection in PHL. I hesitated too long before giving up, so that when I finally hustled back to the A gates, I got held up at security just long enough to miss my WN flight by 5 minutes. Doubled back to the US gates and missed my delayed flight to PHL by even less. Ended up taking a different WN flight two hours later, so I didn't even get the segments after all . . . .
Dec 18, 2009, 12:02 am
#66
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SBA & LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, BA Lifetime Blue, Marriott Gold, and many others
Posts: 1,152
Missed one flight in over 1M BIS miles. And it was a long time ago. A short commuter flight. Caught the next one an hour later. Pure stupidity on my part.
Dec 18, 2009, 12:20 am
#67
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: CLE, PIT, HNL
Programs: CO Platinum, DL Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Platinum, IHG Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 218
I was doing SEA-IAH-NRT run on CO back in May. Since I was based out of DTW, I had to booked a separate DTW-SEA on NW on a cheapo K fare. It was the last flight of the day and it got mechanical. By the time I got to SEA, gate was closing and I lost my confirmed F seat. Gate agent told me I could still board but I would be sitting in coach. Since there was another flight a little over an hour later so I got on that one and got the gate agent confirm me in F. So at the end of the day, I still made my run, and almost 30K EQM richer.
Dec 18, 2009, 1:40 am
#69
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1
Two in twenty years.
The first I simply forgot about...it had been a busy month?
The second? Well it was our honeymoon.
I booked the flights for early in the morning the day after the wedding.
I then changed the flights for a later departure time ;-)
Tickets came through, I checked the itinerary - all looked good.
We turned up at the airport, and after queing for 2.5 hours at check in (bless LHR) they informed me that whilst the itinerary listed me as being booked on the later flight, the tickets were still for the early flight - and if I listened closely that dull roar in the distance I could hear was the plane taking off.....
silence
cold sweat
wife stiffens
Sprint to ticketing desk.
Extract newly aquired platinum card with trembling hands
"My travel agent has screwed up. We're on our honeymoon and I need to fly to Portugal. Today. Please find me two seats......
......I don't care if you have to hire me a plane."
Airline staff behind the counter looks at me with the pity normally restricted for half drowned kittens.
Then transferred me to the later flight for free.
Honeymoon saved and I aquired a (to me) amusing story to tell engaged couples the night before their wedding.
The first I simply forgot about...it had been a busy month?
The second? Well it was our honeymoon.
I booked the flights for early in the morning the day after the wedding.
I then changed the flights for a later departure time ;-)
Tickets came through, I checked the itinerary - all looked good.
We turned up at the airport, and after queing for 2.5 hours at check in (bless LHR) they informed me that whilst the itinerary listed me as being booked on the later flight, the tickets were still for the early flight - and if I listened closely that dull roar in the distance I could hear was the plane taking off.....
silence
cold sweat
wife stiffens
Sprint to ticketing desk.
Extract newly aquired platinum card with trembling hands
"My travel agent has screwed up. We're on our honeymoon and I need to fly to Portugal. Today. Please find me two seats......
......I don't care if you have to hire me a plane."
Airline staff behind the counter looks at me with the pity normally restricted for half drowned kittens.
Then transferred me to the later flight for free.
Honeymoon saved and I aquired a (to me) amusing story to tell engaged couples the night before their wedding.
Dec 18, 2009, 4:39 am
#70
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29
I have missed many flights for the past couple of years. I always love arriving at the the airport just in time to go through security, grab a bottle of water and walk right onto the plane. Many times I am the last to board, even on international flights. I hate waiting, but alas, this means I do often miss the flight.
I think my biggest mess up was arriving at LHR for a Qantas LHR-HKG flight a DAY LATER and trying to check in. They were confused for a bit, but then the check-in lady just made one phone call and put me on the flight for free.
My most annoying missed flight was from Brisbane, Australia to Whitsunday Islands and I had to take a flight to Mackay and wait for a 1 AM Greyhound so that we could catch a boat in the morning.
I think my biggest mess up was arriving at LHR for a Qantas LHR-HKG flight a DAY LATER and trying to check in. They were confused for a bit, but then the check-in lady just made one phone call and put me on the flight for free.
My most annoying missed flight was from Brisbane, Australia to Whitsunday Islands and I had to take a flight to Mackay and wait for a 1 AM Greyhound so that we could catch a boat in the morning.
Dec 18, 2009, 7:57 pm
#71
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Posts: 3,796
Just once -- I knew it was close, but first I had trouble checking in (this was right after the US Airways/America West merger and I had an award ticket for HP PHX-IAD and US DCA-TYS, which took several agents to figure out how to process). Then I got to security, and the line was backed up to the food court, and me without elite status. I was really close; the jet was just backing away from the gate when I got there.
Dec 18, 2009, 9:35 pm
#72
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: MEL
Programs: QF Platinum, VA Gold
Posts: 417
I've come close a few times, but thus far I've never missed a flight due to my own doing. I really need to get out of the habit of staying in the lounge until the last second though ... the "walk of shame" of being the last pax on board isn't so wonderful 
I've misconnected a couple times - the last was doing the SYD INT>DOM shuffle, the time before that was due to a mx issue out of LGA. The lovely AAngels at DFW D got me sorted out though! ^
I've misconnected a couple times - the last was doing the SYD INT>DOM shuffle, the time before that was due to a mx issue out of LGA. The lovely AAngels at DFW D got me sorted out though! ^
Dec 19, 2009, 6:25 am
#73
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, CX Gold, Mrs. Pickles travels for free
Posts: 13,184
As the Man Michael C. Jensen says, "if you have never missed a flight, you spend too much time in airports..."
Dec 19, 2009, 10:09 am
#74
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leesburg, VA AA EXP, 2MM lifetime
Programs: SPG PLT, Hyatt Diamond, 10% progress towards lifetime Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,330
0%, like many others posting in this thread.
Knock on wood. I'm done flying for the year, and was delayed only twice out of about 100 segments this year getting to my final destination. Had lots of delays on first leg of many trips, but always managed to make my connecting flight or show up on time all but twice.
May never have a year like this again.
Knock on wood. I'm done flying for the year, and was delayed only twice out of about 100 segments this year getting to my final destination. Had lots of delays on first leg of many trips, but always managed to make my connecting flight or show up on time all but twice.
May never have a year like this again.
Dec 19, 2009, 4:45 pm
#75
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL Platinum, KE Morning Calm
Posts: 96
I've only flat out missed one flight that I can remember. I had estimated the timing based on previous trips, but the shuttle from longterm parking was very very late (something like an hour!) and I ended up missing my flight. The airline (UA?) rebooked me on the next flight with no hassle at all, to my pleasant shock.
However, I've done other dumb things, like flying into TPE without having booked my ongoing flight to KHH (this in the pre-internet days), figuring I could book a flight on arrival with no problem. Would have been true, had it not been a national holiday weekend - I ended up on standby for several hours. No great tragedy though, as I had no appointments to keep.
However, I've done other dumb things, like flying into TPE without having booked my ongoing flight to KHH (this in the pre-internet days), figuring I could book a flight on arrival with no problem. Would have been true, had it not been a national holiday weekend - I ended up on standby for several hours. No great tragedy though, as I had no appointments to keep.