Panic is unavoidable
Many wonder how unreasonable the airlines' requirement for passengers to arrive at the airport at least two hours before departure time is! The fastest mode of transportation turns into an epic saga spanning almost a whole day – and that's even if the distance to the final destination is relatively short.
But one way or another, reality forces us to panic about the risk of missing a train or plane. And no wonder – the losses can be quite significant.
A passenger on the Frankfurt – Maldives route appeared at the boarding gate 20 minutes before departure. It was his connecting point: his luggage was already loaded onto the plane, and he had checked in. But nothing helped the poor fellow – he was not allowed on the flight. The man then went to court to defend his rights, demanding a refund of the ticket price. After all, was the situation really that critical?
We all know that boarding often happens at an accelerated pace literally 5-10 minutes before departure. However, we should also know the official regulations on flight rules. And it says: a passenger must check in no later than 45 minutes before the flight, and those who show up 40 minutes or less will not be served. The fact that in the described case the man was already checked in, and even that his suitcases were on board, turned out to be irrelevant. For them to wait longer, it was important that he had a boarding pass in hand – and that was exactly what he did not have.
The common belief that an already checked-in passenger will be waited for until the very last moment is a misconception. The system of organizing air transportation is too complex and sensitive to unusual situations and disruptions, including in terms of security. Every minute counts. And even the fact that competition between different airlines is extremely intense, there is a fight for every passenger – and therefore service for each one to fully meet their needs and wishes should be top-notch – is not the number one priority in this case. Number one is the schedule.
"Very Important Persons"
There are ways to bypass the strict punctuality requirements, but only for those who belong to the VIP contingent. A 'very important guest' card can be purchased on many airlines, but of course, such a lavish opportunity is actually used only by 'business aces' whose time is valuable and whose tickets are paid for from the company budget.
Another option is to purchase tickets at a special 'flexible' fare, which allows you to use the next flight of the same company without additional payment if you are late.
And what about those situations, familiar to many frequent flyers, when everyone is already sitting in the cabin and the flight is delayed waiting for some late person? Indeed, such things happen. If the flight schedule at a given airport allows leeway, dispatchers and crew have the right to decide on a case-by-case basis whether the plane will wait for a deputy or, say, a patient on a stretcher. For example, according to Lufthansa's internal rules, a departure delay of up to 5 minutes is allowed when waiting for a passenger with a so-called 'senator card'. At the same time, even slightly late economy class passengers will be left behind.
Rights of "transit passengers"
As for connecting flights, that is, flights with transfers, if the tickets for the entire route are sold by one airline, a passenger who misses the connection due to objective circumstances (delay of the previous flight, problems with baggage claim or document processing) has the right to a seat on the next flight of the same company along that route. However, only if there are free seats – otherwise you'll have to wait longer.
By the way, another common myth is that the departure of a connecting flight will be delayed if the arrival of the first leg of the entire route is delayed. This is not true. Even when there are a large number of transit passengers on board, and those purchasing tickets with a short connection, despite all assurances from the agent, assume increased risks. Therefore, the complaint of a German family who arrived at the transfer point 50 minutes late, and then were further delayed by customs officers who couldn't figure out the children's documents, remained unsatisfied. The next plane was in no way obliged to wait for transit passengers, no matter whose fault the delay was. All that remains is to try to find a constructive solution with the help of airline staff.
Boss, everything is lost!
And yet, delays due to modern traffic jams and other difficulties remain a real part of life. Is it really that such 'unfortunates' who missed their flight have nothing to count on, given the considerable cost of airline tickets? Under standard rules, they are not even entitled to monetary compensation. But most airlines still offer the possibility of rebooking tickets for the next flight if available. And, of course, for an additional fee, sometimes quite substantial.
And what about trains? The operating principles of railways are very similar: the main priority is the schedule, but sometimes (the last train of the day or, say, parents who have fallen behind their children on board) the driver can wait a little.