If Your Missed Flight Makes Your Trip Pointless, Ask About The ‘Trip In Vain’ Rule

If Your Missed Flight Makes Your Trip Pointless, Ask About The ‘Trip In Vain’ Rule

Let’s say your business meeting is in a few hours, you’ve arrived at the airport on time, but your flight is delayed. You’re not going to make the meeting, and your entire trip was in vain. Some airlines have casual rules that might allow them to compensate you.

Photo by markusspiske.

If you miss your flight due to circumstances within the airline’s control, and missing it nullifies the entire purpose of your trip, the airline might just work with you. Like the flat tire rule, there’s no official policy, but some airlines will help you out if you just ask. Travel site Map Happy reports:

This can be easily applied to business and personal trips. For instance, if Salesperson Tom is flying to Bodunk, Idaho in order to attend an important conference meeting. But on the way to Bodunk, the plane gets delayed and there’s a mechanical issue.

The main problem being that Tom was supposed to head into the meeting three hours after the flight is landed. Then under this rule, Tom is entitled to a refund, credit, change or compensation. There is no longer any point going on this trip: By the time he lands, the meeting will be over.

They add that most airlines have different policies for handling refunds for these types of scenarios, and because these situations can vary so much, it’s almost just at the desk agent’s discretion. If this happens to you, you’ll want to approach the agent at the gate. For more detail, head to the full post below.

These Little-Known Airlines Rules Might Save Your Butt at the Airport [Map Happy]


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