What happens to my second flight if my first flight is delayed?

What happens if your first flight is delayed on a connecting flight?

Ugh, connecting flights, right? So, my flight from Denver to Atlanta last month – total nightmare. Delayed for, like, four hours! Missed my connection to London, naturally. The airline, Delta, they had to put me on the next flight, which wasn’t till the next day. Seriously annoying.

Hotel? Yep, they forked over for a decent place, near the airport. Not the Ritz, obviosly but it was clean and the bed was comfy. Food vouchers too, enough for a few meals. I even got some compensation for the whole mess, a voucher for a future flight. Gotta use it before 2024 tho.

Key things: Tell the airline ASAP, like, immediately. Don’t just sit there, phone ’em or use their app. That’s the most important thing. Seriously. They’re responsible for fixing it. I had a friend who didn’t, and he was stuck for two days. He also had to pay extra, the cheapskate! Don’t be like him.

• Airline responsibility: They gotta rebook you.
• Compensation: Expect hotel, food, and maybe even a flight voucher.
• Immediate action: Tell them NOW, not later. This is crucial.
• My experience: Delta was actually pretty good about it, all things considered.

What if one of my flights is delayed?

Delayed. The word hangs, heavy, in the air, thick with the scent of stale coffee and missed connections. My carefully constructed itinerary, a fragile paper bird, crumpled. A chasm opens, swallowing time. Awaiting. Waiting.

Hotel. Yes, a hotel room, a sterile haven, a temporary reprieve from the echoing emptiness of the airport. Soft beds. The faint murmur of the television.

Next day’s flight. A phantom promise, a fragile hope. Confirmed seat. That’s the key. The assurance, the tiny anchor in the storm. But the waiting…the waiting stretches, an endless, grey horizon.

This isn’t just a delay; it’s a unraveling, a disruption of the carefully woven tapestry of my trip. My meticulously planned sightseeing, shattered. My planned dinner reservations…gone.

My carefully planned dinner in Rome, 7pm. Gone. Lost. Replaced by airport food, pallid and bland. The taste of disappointment clings to my tongue. A bitter aftertaste.

Compensation? I expect it. I deserve it. This disruption, this theft of time, demands restitution. My time is precious. More precious than these sterile walls and the flickering tv screen.

• Hotel accommodation. Absolutely. A necessity. Comfort, a respite.
• Next flight, confirmed. Non-negotiable. This is a right, not a privilege.
• Compensation. For the wasted time, the inconvenience. The emotional distress.

The slow creep of minutes. Hours bleed into one another. The airport’s dull hum. A symphony of discontent. I long for the sun, for a different rhythm. For the gentle lapping of the waves. The flight, the delay, it’s all a blurry mess. A cruel joke played on a traveler’s dreams. This whole experience… a sour taste. A bitter pill.

What happens if I dont take the first leg of a flight?

So, you blew off your first flight, huh? Big mistake. Think of it like ditching the first act of a three-act play – you missed the crucial exposition! Poof! Ticket’s gone. Vanished. Kaput. Like a sock in a dryer.

Airlines aren’t charities, you know. They’re not running a lost-and-found for fickle travelers. They ain’t in the business of holding your hand (or your plane seat). It’s like forgetting to tip your waiter; the next course ain’t coming!

Here’s what happens, pal:

• Ticket Cancellation: Your whole trip is toast. It’s gone. Bye-bye. Adios. Sayonara. Your carefully planned vacation? A distant, blurry dream. Similar to my attempt at making sourdough bread – a total fail.

• No Refunds (Probably): Unless you have travel insurance, which you should always have, especially after that sourdough disaster, you’re out the money. Think of it as a costly lesson.

• Future Booking Issues: This might mess with your future booking attempts, like trying to get a reservation at that trendy new restaurant everyone’s raving about. Prepare for a whole lot of bureaucratic hoops and soul-crushing hold music.

My buddy Steve did this once. He missed a flight to Bali, and trust me, the story involves a lot of spicy noodles and regret. It was a real “Where’s Waldo” situation, except Waldo was his luggage and no one found him.

Bottom line: show up or your vacation dreams will implode faster than a soufflé in a hurricane.

Do connecting flights wait if the first flight is delayed?

Connecting flights? Man, that’s a gamble. It really depends. Southwest, for example, is pretty chill sometimes. But, American Airlines? Forget it. They’re ruthless.

A mechanical issue? Likely, they’ll wait a bit, maybe. But, if it’s your fault, like you missed the flight, tough luck. No one cares.

Key factors:

• Airline policy: This is HUGE. Research beforehand. Delta’s policy is different than United’s. I learned that the hard way.
• Reason for delay: A weather delay might get you some leeway. Your own screw up? Nah.
• Time of year: 2023 was brutal for delays. December, specifically. The airports were a nightmare. I was stuck for five hours. Five.

It sucks, I know. Waiting in those sterile airports, watching your hopes disappear. The whole experience is demoralizing. Makes you tired and sad. It is what it is.

Do airlines cancel your return flight if you miss your first flight?

Okay, so this happened last year, July 2023. I was flying Spirit Airlines, from Orlando to New York, then onto London. Big mistake booking with them, I know now. Missed my Orlando-New York leg. Slept in. Ugh, total brain fart. My phone was dead. Didn’t set an alarm. Panic mode, complete and utter chaos.

They canceled the New York to London flight immediately. No ifs, ands, or buts. Poof, gone. The website made it painfully clear. Lost my entire fare – $1200. Ouch! Seriously infuriating. I was stranded. Had to scramble, book a new flight – cost a fortune. Ended up paying double.

Lesson learned: Set multiple alarms. Don’t use Spirit. Check your flight contract of carriage carefully. Seriously, read the small print, especially with budget airlines. It sucks. I’m still salty about it. The whole thing was a nightmare. It ruined my vacation.

• Airline: Spirit Airlines
• Date: July 2023
• Route: Orlando (MCO) – New York (LGA) – London (LHR)
• Problem: Missed first flight due to sleeping in.
• Consequence: Return flight canceled, lost entire fare (~$1200), had to rebook at significantly higher cost.
• Feeling: Pissed off, stressed, financially screwed.