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Asleep at ORD & Missed Connection

Asleep at ORD & Missed Connection

Old Jan 29, 2010, 12:02 am
  #16  
 
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Wow, sorry to hear you slept through your connection, but thanks for sharing!

It's happened to me a few times on the trains here in Tokyo, sleeping right past my stop. Not quite the same as missing a flight, but I can empathize!

If I have time to take a nap between connections I always set an alarm (or 2) on the cell phone. Has worked well for me so far. ::knock on wood::
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 12:08 am
  #17  
 
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Never missed one, but ran to the gate in two cases, last passenger on plane when:

1. Didn't change my watch to local time.
2. Relied on the "Easy Update" gate number.
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 12:09 am
  #18  
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Originally Posted by IAD22066
When you use the Intl Arrivals lounge or the Red Carpet Club, will they wake you if you ask them then take a nap?
at ORD, the Intl arrivals lounge is part of the International First Lounge, which is usually pretty empty so I'm sure they'd be willing to help you out but forget it in the RCC, there's simply too many people there...unless you're a regular who the agents know by name and are on really good terms with them...
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 2:06 am
  #19  
 
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I had the same situation some month ago in a LH-lounge in FRA. Awoke and LH flight (domestic) was gone.

Was booked on the next flight with no discussion and no extra cost.

But since then I always set the alarm if layover is longer than 2h
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 6:40 am
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by boberonicus
Never missed one, but ran to the gate in two cases, last passenger on plane when:

1. Didn't change my watch to local time.
2. Relied on the "Easy Update" gate number.
I did that once and started on a frantic dash from one concourse to another, fortunately on the way I glanced at a monitor and noticed that my connecting flight was at the gate next to the one I had just got off of.
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 7:45 am
  #21  
 
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About 20 years ago when I was young and foolish I took a redeye from LAS - DCA with a connection in Houston (redeye from the West Coast with a connection what was I thinking!). Fell asleep in the waiting area and probably would have been there for a good 8 hours if another passenger hadn't given me a little nudge as the plane was boarding.
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 8:52 am
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by Alan6557
After arriving on a my outbound red-eye, without getting much sleep, I fell asleep at the ORD RCC. My connected flight was scheduled to leave 4 hours after I arrived at ORD. When I awoke, I checked the status of my connecting flight on the departure board, and realized that I missed the flight. There was only one later flight to my destination leaving 9 hours later. That flight was oversold.

The agent told me that it would be more expensive to change my original ticket, than to simply purchase the additional 1-way ticket. I ended up booking a OW flight to a different city, near my destination, which required an additional connection. They did note my record so that my return flight would not be canceled because I missed my final segment on the outbound.

I was totally embarassed. I've traveled for many years, and have never missed a connecting flight because I fell asleep. Has anyone had this experience before?
Reminds me of when I flew all the way down to SYD just to end up sleeping through the whole reason I flew down there for! doh! ^
It Happens...
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 9:06 am
  #23  
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Originally Posted by jasp25
It won't be as hard actually. All you have to do is tell them you fell asleep after a red-eye flight and ask to be put on standby. I did it twice (altho I did not fall asleep).
Exactly--a sheepish admittance of the pax's mistake plus a good, polite attitude in dealing with an agent usually does the trick.


Originally Posted by Alan6557
The agent was willing to put me on standby for the next flight to my destination. The problem was that the next flight was oversold and was the last flight of the day. I choose not to go with that option, since it seemed likely that I would not be accomodated on that flight and would have spent the night in ORD.
I still would have talked to another agent, who might have been more willing to put you on the flight. The old tried & true adage of FT: if you don't get the answer you like, ask someone else.

Also, were there any connecting itins available to your destination? (You didn't say where that was, but via perhaps DEN or IAD?) Or direct flights to a nearby airport? A sympathetic GA would likely have allowed for either without charging a change fee to your ticket, and without requiring a one-way ticket be purchased.
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 10:42 am
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by pigx5
It's ok......
I missed my flight because I chatted with a friend for tooooooo long.....
I think this is more embarassed.........
My flight was 6:20 am.
I waked up at 1:30 am.....lots of time to prepare.....but...chatted too much....
Were you chatting on line or on the phone?
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 10:55 am
  #25  
 
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Last year a coworker and I had been working on a project non-stop (quite literally) for about a week. At this point, she had been up for at least 72 hours straight, if not more.

We were flying DCA-CVG-SFO, and during the connection, she just feel asleep on the floor at the gate. I tried to wake her up at the end of boarding, and she just muttered in her sleep "You go ahead, I'll grab the next flight."

Eventually I got her onboard.
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 11:08 am
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by Alan6557
Has anyone had this experience before?
LOL Yes

Was many years ago when I was young and dumb and decided to party all night and catch an 8:00am flight out of PHX. I got to the gate and had my BP in my hand and decided to sit down with the other 100 or so folks on my flight and just wait a half hour until we boarded. Next thing I knew I opened my eyes and was the only sole at the gate, but I still had my BP in my hand (lol).

Yes, an embarrassing event followed as I had to go back to the front check in and explain how I slept 5 hours at the gate
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 11:41 am
  #27  
 
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Sleepless in ORD

Unfortunately (or rather I am lucky on this one), I can't fall asleep easily or anywhere a gate like area. I've secretly envied folks who can nap in airports when I couldn't do it even in lounges or most hotels. Insomnia could be a blessing, who knew!

But it does seem like a bad idea to let yourself go in ORD where agents would be only to happy to charge you than be sympathetic. If I ever snap out my insomnia, may it not happen in ORD.
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 11:41 am
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by AZjohns
LOL Yes

Was many years ago when I was young and dumb and decided to party all night and catch an 8:00am flight out of PHX. I got to the gate and had my BP in my hand and decided to sit down with the other 100 or so folks on my flight and just wait a half hour until we boarded. Next thing I knew I opened my eyes and was the only sole at the gate, but I still had my BP in my hand (lol).

Yes, an embarrassing event followed as I had to go back to the front check in and explain how I slept 5 hours at the gate
One of my regular flight patterns is taking UA 198 (SFO-IAD red eye), getting to IAD at about 6 am and catching an 8:30 am connection. I'm terrified of sleeping through boarding, and always set my cell phone alarm to about 10 minutes before boarding time. I've never actually needed it, as I am usually too weird after red-eyes to fall asleep for more than a few minutes, but it gives me a bit of peace of mind.
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 11:55 am
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by la2jax
I always thought that I might say that I was in the bathroom and was unable to leave there during the boarding period. Chances are that no one will ask for further details. :-)
That's so funny! I had a coworker who taught me the old "intestinal virus" trick as a way to explain being absent from a meeting or other engagement. It really does work as long as you don't use it too often!
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Old Jan 29, 2010, 1:31 pm
  #30  
 
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I am really paranoid about this -- I always set my cell phone alarm to go off four or five times to make sure I don't miss my flight (not that it's comfortable to sleep in an RCC under any circumstances). I can't believe you had to buy another ticket!
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