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Abstract

and asked me to find my way there because I made the mistake of asking them for a hotel inside the airport.</p><p id="20d8">I was satisfied that my work was done but people around me were shouting with unhappiness. They got their flights changed and Turkish Airlines gave them other flights but charged them. The charges were between 100–600 USA dollars. They also charged me for a new seat assignment which was a nominal charge.</p><p id="889e"><b>Since other people were stranded I began to help them. Some could not understand the language, others did not have money to pay and others had no cards and some solo travelers were crying.</b></p><h2 id="f804">Thoughts on missing the flight</h2><p id="34e8">When I missed the flight I was calm and I thought that the best thing was to accept the fact that I could not leave Istanbul on that day.</p><ul><li>I would reach home a day later.</li><li>I was traveling solo and I had no visa to go out unless I took another e -visa. The previous one that I had was a single entry visa and it had expired as I had already been to Istanbul. I would have to spend 24 hours at the airport.</li><li>I needed a hotel to rest</li><li>I also needed to eat some food.</li><li>Help people around me who are tense and unhappy.</li><li>Deep breathe and do not panic even if you are a solo traveler</li></ul><h2 id="80d0">What did I do?</h2><ul><li>I informed my family.</li><li>I took deep breaths and took away any tension or fear built by looking at anxious people.</li><li>I looked for the hotel which was over full and had no accommodation at all.</li><li>I met another stranded passenger who sat with me sharing her woes with me.</li><li>I helped people around me who were stranded and had a lot of issues with the airline.</li><li>I had some food that my son had packed for me which I shared with people and blessed him for the act of kindness.</li><li>Wherever I could I also did give a little money here and there to those who had no cards or cash with them and were more stranded and anxious than I was.</li><li>I charged my phone fully. It is a lifeline when you are stranded to make connections in the world.</li></ul><h2 id="b1e8">What are the takeaways?</h2><ul><li><b>Carefully read the conditions on the ticket:</b> Always read the rules and regulations while buying a ticket. We never read it carefully. Fortunately, my ticket had said clearly that in case of change of travel or flight I would be charged 50 doll

Options

ars only. While booking the ticket my son had spelled it with me that the charges would be low in case the ticket was changed and that was a big plus point.</li><li><b>Penalty in case of non-refundable ticket:</b> People were being charged by the airlines and they were upset about it. Someone even paid a penalty of 208 USA dollars in addition to extra charges. Read carefully any penalties on losing a ticket or whether it is a nonrefundable ticket or not. Be careful.</li><li><b>Facilities that are given by the airlines: </b>Turkish airlines do not offer support to passengers besides the normal change of seats. They do not give a free stay in any hotel this I knew very well. The voucher that they gave must have been also with charges but anyway I did not get to the hotel at night and I had to sit all night on a hard chair with no cushions because people had already occupied them and were sleeping on them.</li><li><b>Always carry an international credit card:</b> You must have a credit card. National credit cards do not work even on the ATM. They must be international cards.</li><li><b>Carry some cash for an emergency:</b> A little cash in case the credit card does not work is a must.</li><li><b>Do not panic:</b> There are only two options. Stay calm and get your work done or shout and be upset. Anyway, you cannot fly when you miss a flight. Take it easy and work through it. You have to take action in such cases.</li></ul><h2 id="ef92">To conclude</h2><p id="9521">Always remember that if your journey is pleasant and the flight is on-time and everything goes on well it is amazing.</p><p id="5394">Expect that you can have delays, cancellations, or missing a flight. Just do not panic. Stay calm, smile, chill, and make the most of your journey.</p><p id="df6d">Look around you and observe people. See the food stalls and find something that agrees with your digestive system. If you panic the body suffers from hyperacidity or high blood pressure.</p><p id="9b76">It is not the end of the world you will manage the crucial time. I experienced it and am back home hale and hearty.</p><p id="e43f" type="7">Avoid the pain and there is always gain. Smile awhile everything will be alright. Live, love and laugh! Keep yourself fit and fine_____Preeti Singh (Author)</p><p id="9f0a">©<a href="https://readmedium.com/dc34b46c1343?source=post_page-----f9fa88a300ef--------------------------------">Dr. Preeti Singh</a>, 2022</p></article></body>

When Solo Traveler Misses An International Flight

What to do when you miss a flight?

Sitting with another stranded traveler waiting for the flight **Photo by the author** ©Dr. Preeti Singh, 2022

My experience of missing an international flight

I recently traveled to the USA and had a lot of adventures. When I was returning to India I landed myself in another soup. My flight from San Fran Sisco to Istanbul was smooth except that I did not sleep a wink. I was on Turkish airlines and it was to land in Istanbul where I had to take a connecting flight to India.

I reached the airport and tried to come out of the airbus soon as it was a little late and I had to catch another flight.

I waited at the information board and tried to check which gate did I have to go to. No information came in for a long time. Finally, it said that I would have to go to Gate Number B-13 to board the next flight.

It was a long long walk and When I reached B-13 I was informed that the gate had been closed and boarding completed. Imagine how shocked I was to hear this news.

I pleaded that the gate had closed too fast and it took a while to locate and walk to the gate. The officer did not know English and I did not know the Turkish language.

The supervisor was trying to say that he could not allow me to board and I said why not as there is still time.

There were other people too who had missed their flight and were upset. We were directed to the information desk. After a long wait then when our turn came we were directed to the help desk.

To reach the help desk took another half an hour with a long line of people with problems. Finally, my turn did arrive and the person with broken English showed me another Queue where I had to go to get my ticket changed.

My work was done but I was given the next possible boarding pass for the same flight but for the next day because there was only one flight to Delhi according to them.

They directed me to a hotel within the airport and asked me to find my way there because I made the mistake of asking them for a hotel inside the airport.

I was satisfied that my work was done but people around me were shouting with unhappiness. They got their flights changed and Turkish Airlines gave them other flights but charged them. The charges were between 100–600 USA dollars. They also charged me for a new seat assignment which was a nominal charge.

Since other people were stranded I began to help them. Some could not understand the language, others did not have money to pay and others had no cards and some solo travelers were crying.

Thoughts on missing the flight

When I missed the flight I was calm and I thought that the best thing was to accept the fact that I could not leave Istanbul on that day.

I would reach home a day later.
I was traveling solo and I had no visa to go out unless I took another e -visa. The previous one that I had was a single entry visa and it had expired as I had already been to Istanbul. I would have to spend 24 hours at the airport.
I needed a hotel to rest
I also needed to eat some food.
Help people around me who are tense and unhappy.
Deep breathe and do not panic even if you are a solo traveler

What did I do?

I informed my family.
I took deep breaths and took away any tension or fear built by looking at anxious people.
I looked for the hotel which was over full and had no accommodation at all.
I met another stranded passenger who sat with me sharing her woes with me.
I helped people around me who were stranded and had a lot of issues with the airline.
I had some food that my son had packed for me which I shared with people and blessed him for the act of kindness.
Wherever I could I also did give a little money here and there to those who had no cards or cash with them and were more stranded and anxious than I was.
I charged my phone fully. It is a lifeline when you are stranded to make connections in the world.

What are the takeaways?

Carefully read the conditions on the ticket: Always read the rules and regulations while buying a ticket. We never read it carefully. Fortunately, my ticket had said clearly that in case of change of travel or flight I would be charged 50 dollars only. While booking the ticket my son had spelled it with me that the charges would be low in case the ticket was changed and that was a big plus point.
Penalty in case of non-refundable ticket: People were being charged by the airlines and they were upset about it. Someone even paid a penalty of 208 USA dollars in addition to extra charges. Read carefully any penalties on losing a ticket or whether it is a nonrefundable ticket or not. Be careful.
Facilities that are given by the airlines: Turkish airlines do not offer support to passengers besides the normal change of seats. They do not give a free stay in any hotel this I knew very well. The voucher that they gave must have been also with charges but anyway I did not get to the hotel at night and I had to sit all night on a hard chair with no cushions because people had already occupied them and were sleeping on them.
Always carry an international credit card: You must have a credit card. National credit cards do not work even on the ATM. They must be international cards.
Carry some cash for an emergency: A little cash in case the credit card does not work is a must.
Do not panic: There are only two options. Stay calm and get your work done or shout and be upset. Anyway, you cannot fly when you miss a flight. Take it easy and work through it. You have to take action in such cases.

To conclude

Always remember that if your journey is pleasant and the flight is on-time and everything goes on well it is amazing.

Expect that you can have delays, cancellations, or missing a flight. Just do not panic. Stay calm, smile, chill, and make the most of your journey.

Look around you and observe people. See the food stalls and find something that agrees with your digestive system. If you panic the body suffers from hyperacidity or high blood pressure.

It is not the end of the world you will manage the crucial time. I experienced it and am back home hale and hearty.

Avoid the pain and there is always gain. Smile awhile everything will be alright. Live, love and laugh! Keep yourself fit and fine_____Preeti Singh (Author)