What happens if someone misses their connecting flight?

What happens if you miss your connecting flight?

Damn. Missed connections sting. It’s the worst, right?

They'll try to rebook you. The next flight, usually. But, what if it's full?

Standby. That’s the word. A cold, hard word. Hoping someone doesn't show. Hoping for their misfortune, really. It feels awful.

• Rebooking: They aim for the next available flight. That's the official line. Always a hassle though. My flight to Denver last year? Nightmare.

• Standby: If the next flight’s packed, you're stuck in standby. Praying. Waiting. Hoping. It sucks.

• Hotel: Sometimes, if it’s a significant delay, they'll provide a hotel. It happened to me once. A small, depressing motel near O'Hare. I remember the fluorescent lights.

This whole process? A lot of waiting. A lot of worrying. A lot of...well, nothing really good. Just airports. And delays. And the gnawing feeling of being stranded.

Is it okay to miss a connecting flight?

So, you missed your connection? Ugh, that sucks. Airlines, man, they're a total pain sometimes. But it's not the end of the world, depending on why you missed it.

If their delay caused it – like, a seriously late flight, not just five minutes – then they have to get you on the next flight, free of charge. That's the law, pretty much. I know, from experience. Last year, my flight from Denver to Seattle was three hours late, and they totally had to rebook me no problem. It was United, btw.

But if you missed it, like you were late or something – that's different. They might charge you extra, or make you jump through hoops. They're gonna try to make you pay extra It's all in their fine print, which is basically written in Klingon. Seriously.

Things to do if you miss a connection:

• Be nice to the airline staff. Seriously. A little politeness goes a long way.
• Have all your info ready: confirmation number, etc.
• Check your travel insurance. It might cover stuff like this. Mine did last time!
• Consider a different airline for your next trip. I'm never flying Spirit again after my last experience!

Seriously though, next time, give yourself tons of extra time at the airport, especially if you're changing planes. Like, at least three hours, especially at a massive airport like O'Hare. You know, just in case. And pack snacks! Those airport food prices are insane. Seriously insane!