What happens to these people in airports?

[Helpmethinkofasolution]

Nearly every time I fly I hear a call out for people who have seemingly checked in, checked in their bags but then are late (really late) for boarding. I'm pretty scatty but I've never had so much fun at the airport that I've forgotten to check that my flight is boarding! Do they just get distracted?
Not judging just wondering how common it is for people to be 'un-boarded' and what happens?

Why don't you just set an alarm on your phone? Its very easy.

I heard of a couple, years ago mind you, who waited to be called to get on a flight they were taking. They didn't like waiting around so waited to be called. Get on, take off.

I can answer this one. Online check in the day before. Carry on baggage only. Nobody knows if they are at the airport or not. Some arent

Yes but my point is that we all find different things easy and hard. Just because it is obvious to you what to do to make missing a flight very unlikely, it doesn't mean it's obvious or easy for everyone. Maybe those people are good at things that you struggle with and wonder why you can't do them easily or don't understand etc.

Happened to me just after they had brought in enhanced security after 9/11 and limits on the liquid you could take through security. Arrived at Stansted with a reasonable amount of time but the queues were beyond ridiculous for security. We arrived at the departure gate to see the plane departing and our bags had been taken off. Decided to stay overnight in the hotel nextdoor to the airport as couldn't face going home then coming back super early the following day to get the next flight. Allowed loads more time and still only had minutes to spare before boarding and departure. Awful. I hate Stansted!!!

I think that depends on the airport and policy..

Certainly at airports that have conformance (where you swipe boarding card before going through, or at security) it is often possible to establish whether the passenger is at the airport and in the building or not and that knowledge in turn may inform various decisions such whether the gate staff bother making an announcement or not.

Missed my 8 hr International flight after the taxi broke down on the way. Got there as the gates were closing. Had to sell some of my stuff to one of the staff to make up enough for another flight. They didn't charge me the full fair luckily. I was 19 and learnt a life lesson. Leave hours ahead.

My ex husband was (and probably still is) one of these. Musician, absolute nightmare if he didn’t have a tour manager literally dragging him onto flights, once got stuck in Russia at an airport for THREE DAYS because he missed a flight.

Flying with him was infuriating, once we were off somewhere (having arrived in good time for once because I am an organised flyer) and he discovered an oyster bar! Oh boy, by the time I found him he was shoeless, having a splendid time drinking champagne and eating oysters and upon me suggesting we may want to begin the long walk to the gate he bellowed “SHAN’T!” and refused to put his shoes on. I went without him and he only just made the flight.

I work at an airport and it happens alot usually its Ryanair because one call and they're gone.

I’ve missed a flight because, pre-Sat Navs, I assumed Glasgow Prestwick airport was in Glasgow and I knew it would take an hour or so from where I lived. So set off while my then BF read the map.

Glasgow Prestwick airport is not in Glasgow. Life lesson right there.

Years ago my friends booked a last minute holiday. They picked their tickets up at the airport. As it was a late booking the tickets weren’t like regular tickets. They collected their tickets from one desk and were told to check in at desk X. Staff at desk X checked their suitcases in. All good, your flight departs in 1.5 hours keep an eye on the boards, your flight number is abcdefg.
They went for a drink and something to eat. Over the tannoy they heard an announcement for the last 2 passengers on flight xxyyyzzz to go to gate number 1 and board. They heard this announcement several times. The next announcement they heard for the last 2 passengers gave out their surnames. It was them, they had checked onto the wrong flight. They then had to describe their suitcases and in utter panic neither of them could remember what colour their suitcases were!!
The staff eventually got their suitcases off the wrong plane and they boarded the correct plane with one of them in floods of tears.
On another occasion my mum and dad were told their flight was delayed by 4 hours. They went for a coffee and something to eat. By sheer chance one of them happened to glance up and see their flight was boarding and on time no delay. Half the passengers were not on the plane when they boarded. They had not seen the notice board and been told they had another 4 hours to wait.

"@LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet

Glasgow Prestwick airport is not in Glasgow. Life lesson right there.

Oh......mind you London Luton isn't in London and as for ..

www.oxfordairport.co.uk/

I missed a plane by queuing at the gate for a flight to the same airport at the same time, only when I got to the front of the queue realised it was the wrong airline! And I was miles from
the correct gate 😳. Was flying a lot at the time and was probably too relaxed. Didn’t realise there would be 2 flights to the same place at exactly the same time!

We nearly got left behind waiting for the wheelchair lift one time.. There had been a mix up, it had gone to the wrong gate, and we were terrified the flight would leave without us!

Not true at all. Ryan air would have gone out of business if that was the case 🤣😂🤣

Have had it twice. Once on a work trip, we were right next to the gate drinking a glass of wine. There were only 2 flights (tiny airport) and we were watching the wrong one 😳. Only realised after a couple of calls because the tannoy accent was so heavy I didn't even recognise my name.

Second time we queued to board the 9.25 to Aricife for ages only to get to the front and realise we'd queued for the EasyJet 9.25 to Aricife but were booked on the 9.25 BA flight to Aricife. Which was calling us at a gate at the other end of Gatwick. Had to run miles carrying a toddler and all their assorted baggage. So stressful.

I know but I genuinely just forget. I’ve been travelling as an adult for 10 years no probs, then all of a sudden I hit 30 and lose my marbles 🤷🏽‍♀️🤣

Some people check in online and don't make it to the airport for some reason.

Years ago when I worked in offices above Victoria Station there was a BA checkin there. Afriend and checked in our baggage at lunchtime at Victoria Station for a BA flight to Paris from Heathrow the same evening. We took the tube to LHR with plenty of time to get to board. They had just changed Paris flights from Terminal 1 to terminal 4. When we arrived at T1 and walked all the way up to the desks we were told to get to T4.
We ran, got back on the tube and got to T4. They had held up the flight for us. We were not popular and very sweaty from having run in hot August weather. 🙄

Very true, happens on probably most/every flight, but TBH those folks are probably not the reason for the sort of announcements the OP refers to.

Staff obviously can establish if a missing passenger has checked in on line, recognise that if they have done so they might simply never turn up and so probably aren't going to make a lot of effort and make lots of announcements trying to hunt them down.

It may be slightly different if it can be established the passenger is at the airport (e.g. at airports with manual check-in and/or a conformance process), it will be different and more effort is used if there are checked bags involved.

or they could be at the wrong boarding gate? I had the gate number on my ticket and it also matched the one on the board, so went and joined the line to get on the plane. Got to the front of the line to be told it was a different gate (on the other side of the airport). Turns out they had 3 simultaneous planes to the same destination. Now I’m so paranoid I only go by flight numbers.

Oh yeah ❄️ 😉

Flying to Washington with friends for a holiday. We decided it was a great idea to have a bottle of prosecco at the airport while waiting for the flight. Bags of time we said.

We were called by name and had to leg it to the gate. Never again.

(we were not drunk BTW there were 4 of us sharing the bottle, we were just chatting too much)

My husband once fell asleep on the toilet at the airport. He was on a work trip so travelling alone.
He did wake up just in time & heard his name being called. He is NEVER late for anything & was mortified to be the one the flight was waiting for.