Missed connection · Transit guide

Your first flight lands late. You sprint through the terminal, reach the gate breathless, and the door is already closed. Somewhere below you, your suitcase is on a belt with nowhere to go.

A missed connection is really three problems at once: getting a new flight, finding your bag, and surviving the hours in between. This guide tackles them in the right order, including the deadlines, codes and ticket details that most travel guides leave out.

General travel information only. Your exact rights depend on your ticket, route and airline.

Your journey right now

Flight 1 · Landed late

You made it to the hub

Connection · Missed

Gate closed before you arrived

Checked bag · Unknown

Rerouted, held or still at the hub

Next flight · Pending

Hours of waiting ahead

Triage

The First Hour: What to Do, in What Order

Rebooking first, bags second, comfort third. Tap each task as you complete it.

Do now

Within the hour

While you wait

Ready-made phrases

What to Say at the Desk

Tired and stressed, it is easy to forget the one question that matters. Use these lines word for word.

At the transfer desk

“My first flight arrived late and I missed my connection on the same booking. Can you rebook me on the next available flight and confirm my checked bag is moved too?”

At the baggage desk

“I'd like to file a Property Irregularity Report. Here is my bag tag. Please deliver the bag to this address, and could I have the file reference in writing?”

Asking for care

“My new flight leaves in several hours. What meal or hotel assistance is available for this wait?”

The detail that changes everything

One Booking or Two? Check This Before Anything Else

Whether your flights were sold on one booking or on separate tickets decides who is responsible for getting you, and your bag, to your destination. Look at your confirmation email and tap the option that matches.

One bookingProtected connection
  • The airline must get you to your final destination, usually on the next available flight.
  • Your bag is normally checked through to the end.
  • Under EU261, any compensation is judged by your delay at the final destination, not at the hub.
Separate ticketsSelf-transfer
  • The second airline usually treats you as a no-show and owes you nothing extra.
  • Your bag may need collecting and re-checking yourself.
  • Only a booking platform's own guarantee or travel insurance may help.
Transit visa trap: if you are transiting without a visa, you may not be allowed to leave the airside area. That affects which baggage office and which hotel you can reach, so mention it at the transfer desk.
Insider knowledge

Decode Your Bag Tag and PIR in 30 Seconds

That small sticker on your boarding pass is your bag's ID. Knowing how to read it helps you spot routing mistakes before you even reach the baggage desk. Hover or tap each highlighted part.

Numbers shown are examples only.

Bag tag number (10 digits)

0235123456
Final airport codeRouting legs

PIR file reference (example)

ISTTK12345

Many airlines use the WorldTracer system, so this reference often lets you track your bag online. Photograph your PIR before you leave the desk.

Delayed baggage office by airport

At the Baggage Desk: Give the Agent These 5 Things

A complete report is found faster. Bring this list to the counter.

Bag tag sticker

From your boarding pass or passport

A photo of the bag

Colour, brand, size and any marks

A few contents

Distinctive items help identify it

Delivery address

Hotel and home, with dates

Tracker location

If you packed a Bluetooth tracker

The claim clock

The Deadlines Most Travellers Miss

On international flights, the Montreal Convention sets strict time limits for written baggage complaints.

Day 0Day 7Day 21
PIR
Damage
Delay / lost

Day 0

At the airport

File the PIR before leaving the baggage area. Reporting later is possible but harder.

7 days

Damaged bag

Send a written complaint within 7 days of receiving a damaged bag.

21 days

Delayed or lost bag

Claim delay costs within 21 days of getting the bag back. Not back after 21 days? You can treat it as lost.

Liability cap: airline liability for baggage is limited to around 1,519 SDR (Special Drawing Rights) per passenger under the Montreal Convention, unless you declared a higher value at check-in.
A PIR is not a claim: the report starts the search. Expenses usually need a separate written claim, ideally by email so you have a timestamp.
Traveller relaxing in an airport lounge during a long layover
Recharge plan

How Long Is Your Wait? Your Shower & Lounge Plan

Choose your waiting time for a plan that fits.

Refresh and refuel

  • A lounge gives you a seat, food and Wi-Fi; check its maximum stay.
  • Ask for a shower slot at reception first. At busy times there can be a waiting list.
  • Stay airside so you don't repeat security. New gate far away? Check our airport navigation guides.
Find a Lounge

Shower, eat, rest, repeat

  • Choose a lounge with showers and quiet zones, and check whether extra hours can be added.
  • Some airports also offer pay-per-use showers or transit day rooms outside lounges.
  • Set an alarm for gate changes; your new flight may leave from another terminal.
  • Allowed to leave the airport for a few hours? Drop your carry-on with a luggage storage service first.
Find Lounges with Showers

Ask for a hotel first

  • On a single booking, ask the airline about accommodation before paying yourself.
  • Without a visa, look for an airside transit hotel or a 24-hour lounge.
  • Leaving the airport? Pre-book your transfer so you are not queuing for taxis at midnight.
  • Staying inside? See where to rest in our airport sleeping guides.
Book a Transfer
Interim expenses

Bag Delayed? What You Can Usually Buy (and Claim)

Airlines generally reimburse reasonable essentials while your bag is delayed. "Reasonable" is the key word. Hover or tap each item for details.

Usually accepted

ToiletriesBasic clothingPhone charger

Depends on the case

Formal wearSports gearReplacement medicine

Often questioned

Luxury itemsA whole new wardrobeBuys after delivery

Policies vary by airline. Keep itemised receipts and ask the airline about any daily limits before you shop.

Make the Rest of Your Journey Easier

Fast Track for your new departure

If you have to clear security again, priority lanes help when time is tight. Check availability at your airport.

Explore Fast Track

Meet & Greet in an unfamiliar hub

Travelling with children or limited mobility? Assistance services can help you navigate the terminal.

Explore Meet & Greet

A ride waiting when you finally land

Arriving late at night after the delay? A pre-booked transfer saves you the taxi queue.

Book a Transfer
Screenshot this

Your Pocket Cheat Sheet

Everything that matters from this guide in one place. Take a screenshot and keep it handy while you sort things out.

Key numbers

  • File the PIRDay 0
  • Damaged bag complaint7 days
  • Delayed bag claim21 days
  • EU261 delay threshold3 h at final stop
  • Montreal baggage cap~1,519 SDR

Keep these safe

  • Old and new boarding passes
  • Bag tag sticker
  • PIR reference (photo)
  • Every itemised receipt
airport.online guide library

Stuck at a Hub You Don't Know? Use Our Airport Guides

Airport-by-airport details for everything a long, unplanned wait can bring.

Delayed Baggage Guides

Where to find the baggage service office and how to report a missing bag at each airport.

Browse airports

Airport Sleeping Guides

Quiet zones, sleeping pods, 24-hour lounges and transit hotels for overnight waits.

Browse airports

Airport Navigation Guides

Terminal layouts, transfer routes and walking times to reach a far-away gate.

Browse airports

Luggage Storage Guides

Store your bags and enjoy a long layover hands-free, where the airport allows it.

Browse airports

Smoking Area Guides

Long wait? Find designated smoking areas before and after security.

Browse airports

Next Time: The 3-Item Carry-On Rule

On any connecting trip, pack one change of clothes, your medication and a charger in your hand luggage. If your bag goes astray, you lose comfort, not your day. Photographing your bag and its contents before check-in also makes any claim easier.

Turn a Missed Connection into a Proper Break

Skip the cold gate chairs. Find a lounge at your transit airport for a shower, a meal and a quiet seat while you wait for your next flight.

Find Lounges

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Check the airline app for an automatic rebooking, then go to the transfer desk. If both flights were on one booking, the airline is generally responsible for getting you to your final destination.

The second airline usually has no duty to rebook you for free, and you may need to collect and re-check your bag yourself. Check whether your booking platform offers a connection guarantee, or contact your travel insurer.

Not always automatically. Ask the transfer desk to confirm your bag has been moved to your new flight, and note any reference they give you.

A Property Irregularity Report is the official record of a delayed or damaged bag. Its file reference is usually 10 characters: the airport code, the airline code and a 5-digit number. You use it to track the bag and to support your claim.

On international journeys covered by the Montreal Convention, you must complain in writing within 7 days of receiving a damaged bag and within 21 days of receiving a delayed bag. If the bag has not arrived after 21 days, you can treat it as lost.

At many larger hubs, yes. Showers are often found in lounges, and some airports also offer pay-per-use showers or day rooms. Ask for a slot when you arrive, as busy lounges may have a waiting list.

Often, yes. Many lounges sell single-visit passes whatever your airline or ticket class, subject to capacity, opening hours and maximum stay rules.

On a single booking covered by EU261 or UK261, airlines generally must offer meals and, for overnight waits, a hotel and transfers. Elsewhere it depends on local rules and airline policy, so always ask before paying yourself.

Under EU261, if your flights were on one booking and you reach your final destination 3 or more hours late for a reason within the airline's control, you may be entitled to €250–€600 depending on distance. Severe weather and air traffic control strikes are usually exempt.

Yes. Under the Montreal Convention, liability is capped at around 1,519 SDR per passenger, unless you made a special declaration of higher value at check-in. Travel insurance can cover the difference for valuable items.