The imagination of missing a flight can be stressful. Many have been caught up in circumstances where they could not make check-in on time. Someone may have missed an alarm to wake up or was caught up in traffic with only five minutes left for their flight to take off. Records have it that 2% to 8% of passengers are always at the risk of missing their flights.

However, with all these anticipations, it is important to act quickly, and the good news is that there are ways to help you get to your destination even later.

• Call your airline immediately

There is always room for rebooking your flight. Immediately you realize you are running late; you are advised to call your airline, communicate the status, and politely request a rebooking. However, most airlines do not clearly define the rebooking policy. They have kept it a secret and invoke it on a case-by-case basis.

• Ask for a later flight

Airlines understand that getting late is humanly possible because things happen. The nature of the delays vary. Hence, if you have completely missed your flight, you may opt for the next. In some cases, this may come either free of charge or at an extra cost. Nonetheless, different airlines have different policies.

• Contacting the gate agent

Gate agents work alongside the pilots and the airport, whereby they all have to agree on the closure of cabin. Hence, you can choose to call the gate agent through the airport. It would be more helpful if you know your departure gate. More often than not, and depending on the reason for the delay, a gate agent is likely to give you up to 15 minutes before they can give away your seat.

Of importance is to allow better planning in advance. Set a reminder and have a flight itinerary. Ensure you are conversant with the airline rules and think outside the box. Better still consider hiring a trusted travel agent to help you with ground transportation. A knowledgeable agent will also help you fix a connection or a rebooking if required.