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?

The one time it happened to us, I genuinely believed that our flight time was half an hour later than it was, I was so convinced, that I actually saw that time on the departures board when I checked it. They called our names fortunately and we ran all the way and were the last on, they shut the door behind us immediately. Never done it again. So stressful.

I cut it fine at Edinburgh a few years back after misreading the gate at the departure board and waiting at the wrong end of the airport. I really did go to Specsavers after that episode.

Have also had to post the screwdriver of shame when DS aged about 5 produced it in Frankie & Bennie's. After security. Apparently he thought it might come in handy...

Mine was pretty traumatic. It was at Harare airport in Zimbabwe around 2004, I was catching a connecting flight, had flown from Heathrow, and was due to change to a plane to Johannesburg. I had not got a visa for Zimbabwe as I was not leaving the airport, just catching a flight from the same terminal which left about an hour later, and I had no idea I needed a visa (British Airways, with whom I was flying, on both the first and second flights, had not seen fit to inform me of this).

I was stopped by a man in military uniform with a machine gun who demanded a visa and said I could not go to the other gate to catch my next flight without one (literally within the same, not very large building). When I said I did not have one he demanded £100 cash. I did not have that on me, but proffered a bank card. That was not acceptable, they had no card machine. I asked where a cash machine was and was told it was outside the airport, but I could not leave the airport without a visa could not go to it. By this time the gun was markedly higher up, albeit not pointing directly at me, and three other men with machine guns were also standing around me. There was a bit of a stand-off for a while while I tried to work out what I could do, and them refusing to budge.

When I heard my name being called for the flight I started to cry. Luckily at this stage a kind fellow passenger stepped in and lent me £100 in cash! (Of course I took their bank details and paid them back the minute I got to Johannesburg!).

I have no idea what would have happened had the lady not helped me. Maybe I would still be wandering the halls of Harare airport!

I nearly missed mine home from Paris, the security queue was enormous and then I got held up because they weren’t happy with the underwire in my bra!

My friend did this once. Got there really early for the flight (a work trip, colleagues waiting for her the other end so they could go off to the bank they were seeing together). She thought she had plenty of time - which she did - but she just lost track and spent the time shopping and eating etc. Completely missed the flight. Two things - it was at London City Airport, not sure if anyone’s been but there’s really not that much there to get distracted by, and also, they must have been calling her plenty of times before they off loaded her case. She didn’t hear a thing. 🤷‍♀️

Personally I think there should be restrictions on how much alcohol people can drink in airports. The people who get pissed before they're due to board are nothing but an annoyance for everyone else. They either hold up departures or annoy the shit out of other passengers. I don't understand the need to get pissed when you're travelling. I enjoy a drink as much as the next person but there are some scenarios when it just isn't appropriate. Concerts are another one. Wouldn't cross my mind to drink alcohol at a concert but some people just get absolutely hammered. Then they're a nuisance to everyone else who has to move every few minutes to let them get past so they can go to the loo for the 14th time. Why buy a concert ticket if you're going to miss half of it?

Happened to us once on a long distance trip via Helsinki. At Helsinki we thought we had two hours as had not factored in time differences, therefore we had bought sandwiches and drinks and settled ourselves down to eat them when we heard our names being called and realised they were closing the gate. Luckily we were a couple of hundred metres from the gate and could scoop everything up and make a dash for it.

Just last week at Corfu - My DD and another passenger were called. But she was already onboard the plane - the beep beep machine that scanned her boarding pass as she boarded hadn’t worked properly. We missed our slot and delayed our flight by an hour.

We didn’t know they had been calling her - we were all sitting on the plane. We found out when the flight attendant asked for her and the other missing passenger to make themselves known. Her face was a picture - I think for a split second she thought they were going to remove her from the flight.

This happened to me once - I was travelling with two other people and I think no one viewed themselves as being 'in charge' (I was early twenties and the other two were in their forties so I think I mentally took on a child-like role). We had just got food from McDonalds when we were called and then gate was SO FAR away - I was fairly fit back them but it was still a challenge to run there in time (with our bag of McDonalds). We were definitely last to arrive on packed flight. I was pretty embarrassed about being late and arriving with McDonalds. Never again.

They called my name once while I was in a shop getting breakfast. I’d checked in and gone through security and It was still 45 mins before take off time! I got to the gate and they were like ‘yay, you made it’. Now it was an international flight to the states so I get they wanted all passengers in quickly, but 45 mins to go seriously?? I wasn’t the only one either.

Yes, all jokes aside, when I got that last call sitting at the bar, there was loads of time. I am a very anxious person so always early.

when I got there, I said "that was mad, are we leaving early?" They said "no".

there were about a dozen of us.

How do people "suddenly realize" that they are miles from their gate? Surely the first thing you do when you get through security and/or passport control, is to check the gate and start moving in that direction?

It happened to us once. We arrived at the airport to find our flight was seriously delayed and was expected to leave over an hour late so we we stopped looking at the departure board thinking we'd start looking closer to the new departure time. Needless to say, we were shocked to hear our names being called well before the new time and had to run to the gates. We were the last people to board so no one else was stupid enough to get caught out.

In May I flew via Frankfurt. Going out, my connecting flight departed just a few gates away, which was very easy. I just strolled from one to the other.

The return trip was a whole different kettle of fish. Miles to walk, maybe a train (I've forgotten the details) and had to go through another security check with a long queue. It took over an hour to get to the right part of the airport.

I remembered that when booking the trip, there was a later flight from the destination to Frankfurt, with a 50 minute transfer, but my travel agent said "50 mins isn't enough for Frankfurt." A couple on the same trip were on that later flight.
I didn't see them on the second plane so assume they didn't make it in time.

Airports are generally silent these days - keep a check on the boards.

Visas, etc are your own lookout. The airline does not advise you as they have no way of knowing what passport/ID/other places you may have visited that can effect your entry requirements. Most airlines websites will have a portal that you can use to check though.

at security - have your liquids ready and bagged, take your electronics out. Try not to wear any metal if you can. Although all my sons and husband got pinged for fly buttons at Heathrow earlier this month!

check your time zone - we had a lovely American couple frantically asking us where the gate staff were for their flight back to Texas. They thought they’d missed the flight. They hadn’t. They hadn’t changed their watches, bless them.

When they call for the missing passenger/s the ground staff will already be in the hold looking for their bags to off load.

The gate often isn't displayed until shortly before boarding. If an earlier flight departs from the same gate, they wait until that's gone, to avoid congestion at the gates.

I've missed two flights and been 'final called' once.

1. I had a connection in Paris CDG and my first flight was so late that the next plane had already left by the time we landed. The airline just put me on the next plane.

2. Another connection in Paris CDG. Due to an Air France strike, this was my 4th flight in 24 hours and I was knackered. We got to terminal E ready for our long flight and DH played with the kids and kept an eye on the screens while I had a nap. He woke me up and we headed for our gate as soon as it showed on the screen, but unbeknownst to us, terminal E is enormous and it required a train and a long run through a shopping centre to get to our gate. We were sprinting through the terminal listening to our names being called. Luckily made that one.

3. Stansted. I arrived in plenty of time. My flight to Copenhagen was at, say 1000. There was another flight to Copenhagen with another airline departing at 1005 so they were right next to eachother on the departure board. You can see where this is going... I went straight to the gate as soon as it appeared, realised it was the wrong airline but the shuttle train system at Stansted doesn't let you go backwards so I was stuck. By the time security sent someone to get me to the right part of the terminal, my flight had gone. I wasn't the only one either, there were about 10 of us. I had to get a coach to Gatwick and get a flight the next day.

Flying to London from vegas via LA. Our Vegas to LA flight was delayed - touch and go if we’d make to LA on time. Landed and had a member of airline staff meet us off the flight and escort us through the airport due it being so tight. As soon as we made it to the gate we were called to report at boarding. If we hadn’t hadn’t already been in the queue and able to be there within seconds they would have bumped us due to being ridiculously overbooked.

TBF though that wouldn't completely solve the late to board problem.

From what I saw over the years connecting passengers falling asleep in the terminal was common (long haul > long haul/short haul ) ....I used to very frequently do a Long Haul night flight > Short haul combination, with a few hours in the terminal in between and used to set multiple alarms on watches and phones to avoid embarrassment.

There's no doubt people got caught out shopping, some would decide to tuck into a big breakfast during a connection and in both cases lose the plot/track of time...some people simply struggle with time change, haven't reset their watches correctly......you'd be amazed at the imaginative methods people have accidently employed over the years to miss flight...

Being in the bar/drink might be one cause but it sure as heck isn't the only one..

We haven't flown since before Covid. But I am a super-anxious sort (as is DH) and we check for our tickets and passes regularly, and check the boards religiously.

Some airports have estimated walking times to gates so that you can allow enough time to get there without breaking into a sweat.

As I said, super-anxious. I can't relax in airports at all. It's all panic panic panic, keeping everyone together, not losing them, making sure our loo break/pint/meal can be ordered, paid for and eaten in good time...

We are always at the airport four hours early too. First in the queue.

I hate being anxious but it has its perks .

Both airports are owned by different companies, and run very differently...

Happened to me once. At an airport I was unfamiliar with. Had underestimated the very long wait to the gate. Was last to board but ultimately I didn't cause any delay thankfully.

Didn't actually miss a flight but was at Manchester a few years ago, security was pretty chocka & they were calling flights through which seemed sensible.

If happened to DP and I once. He couldn't tear himself away from duty free. I has already been telling him we should go to the gate. It was really embarrassing.