We’ve all been there, and most of us will even admit it. Some days you just cut it a little close getting to the airport. (And sometimes it’s not even your fault.)
The question is, what do you do to increase your chances of making your flight when you are really running late?
One woman in Florida went a little too far last week. Her boss was running late, and she called and e-mailed Miami International Airport claiming a bomb was onboard an American Airlines plane, hoping it would delay the plane enough for him to make it.
Police searched the plane, which was delayed, and found nothing. Later they traced the email to the woman’s computer and she was arrested. (No word in the story as to whether or not he made the plane.)
I sent the story to some clients, who universally (tongue-in-check, one would hope) thought this was a fine idea. But seriously, there are other ways, and other ways of going beyond the call, to help when you are running late.
Having a boarding pass in advance always helps, and having carry-on luggage only will help more. If checking your luggage is only a matter of something like a bottle of shampoo or wine, considering leaving the item in question home.
If you’re at the airport in line while the check-in cutoff approaches, and that line isn’t moving, you can consider, nicely, trying to flag down an airline employee for help. Sometimes they will help you move to the front. But for karma reasons if nothing else, I don’t suggest trying this regularly.
Sometimes too, paying extra for curbside check-in means a shorter line. Although if it’s close to baggage cutoff time, a big tip won’t hurt.
And for anyone with checked luggage, a travel companion can be a big help. Once, traveling with a friend in Maui, a traffic jam made for a near baggage cut-off time arrival at the airport. But I was able to drop her with both of our suitcases at the curb before returning the rental car. Since we both had advance boarding passes, she got both bags checked in under her name, and I was able to drop off the car and meet her at the security line with time to spare.
In another case, a out-of-town business client was running late, and an administrative assistant from the company she was visiting volunteered to call her a cab, AND to drop off her rental car. Then the assistant took a cab back to the office. Not sure this was exactly legal as far as the rental contract, but it worked. (And I only heard about it after the fact.)
I’ve had clients call and ask if I could call the airline to hold the plane. Unfortunately, that’s generally not possible. But in my experience airlines are often, but not always, more patient with first class and business class travelers. And with their highest status frequent fliers.
And being a VIP doesn’t hurt. Former Governor Gray Davis tells a story of meeting his wife, then a flight attendant, when PSA held a flight for him from Sacramento when he was the Chief of Staff to Governor Jerry Brown. Apparently he behaved like a jerk, but ran into her on again on his second flight, apologized, and asked her on a date.
But since most of us don’t have the ability to get the kind of special treatment from an airline, any suggestions or stories from readers would be appreciated. What’s the closest you’ve come to almost missing a plane? Or what’s the best idea you’ve had that helped you make a plane you knew you were going to miss? If the latter was illegal, be sure to comment as “anonymous.”
(Photo by tray on flickr.com/creative commons)
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What I’ve done (other than arrive two hours early with a good book for each flight) was done when I was put onto an earlier flight and then ran into trouble with the security line. I just begged everyone on the line to let me go first (this was in Toronto where they give you NO help from the administrative side). Everyone rushed me to the front of the 200 passenger line and I scooted onto the plane just on time.
As above–take a book, a deck of cards and anything else to amuse yourself. Relax. If you miss the flight, it’s probably not going to end the world.
My brother and sister in law only had a 45 minute connection at JFK when coming back from Europe (they weren’t the ones that booked that flight). As they stood in line for immigration they knew they had no chance of making it and mentioned it to the people in front of them who all let them go to the front of the line.
So I had a client just leave his rental car at the curb in order to make his flight and then call me AFTER THE FACT (5 minutes later on his way to the gate) to ask me to call Hertz to come get the car!!! I left the keys in the ignition and told the sheriff! This was Miami prior to 9/11, but it really did not go well.
I do not suggest this approach.
In Minneapolis last Christmas Eve, the doors were closed to the plane but it was still at the jetway. After trying, with no success, to get an attendant at the next gate to call them to see about getting me on, I stood at the window in front of the pilots and kept waving my arms and making begging gestures for about ten minutes. Finally the gate attendant returned and commented about me wanting to get on the plane. He let me on but said it was only because they had a mechanical delay anyway. I don’t know if the pilots could actually see me or if the first agent changed his mind and contacted them, but they opened the doors and I made the flight. I didn’t mind looking like a fool. Maybe Santa Claus intervened.
I was attending a noon wedding in Austin, TX and an evening wedding in Ft. Worth, TX — about 200 miles apart. Took a bus to Austin from Ft. Worth in the morning, attended the Austin wedding, greeted the bride and groom at the reception. A friend drove me to the airport and I was just getting out of the car in the drop-off zone when I hear “Last Call” for my flight. Thank goodness it was pre-9/11 — I pulled an OJ Simpson (for those of you old enough to remember the old Hertz commercials) running through the airport to the gate in my dress and high heels!
When I am really late I hire a wheel chair pusher who gets me to the head of the security check in line, then a quick push to the gate. Depending on how helpful the pusher was, helped with shoes, etc. I would tip $10-20 for the ride. I always made it on the plane especially if I waived frantically to the boarding gate wen they saw me coming. Last man on aboard seems to be my middle name.
Matt. San Francisco
Wearing shoes without ties can speed up the jaunt from security and the gate. Coupling that with online check-in with boarding passes and carry-on only luggage will help you make those close calls. We discovered that one fine day at PHL when all airport parking areas were full and we had to park at a satelite lot miles away. They were calling our names as I approached the gate, my husband with tie shoes not yet visible. But beware of clog style shoes-hard to walk fast or run in them.
Make use of destination hotel internet + printer if possible for check-in and boarding passes. Failed to do that in Madrid and spent 1 1/2 hrs. in line and barely made our flight. Also discovered they had lost our prior seat choices.
Don’t be embarrassed. I have just cleared the security checkpoint and rand to my gate 10 spots away. Shoes, belt, bags in one hand. Holding my pants up in the other. Yes, I made it. But, they made me finish dressing first. Some things they will hold the door for.