Missed a flight because of a train delay? Here’s what to do

Tips and Tricks

But as selling a train journey along with a flight on a single reservation number becomes more common, one might wonder if such a policy applies here.

Travellers are also inclined to accept such offers. It can be instinctive: they are willing to experience a stressless journey while taking as much extra protection as they can. But if one is not willing to pay all the way for every mean of such protection, the questions of the basic legal obligations for a carrier occurs.

So what are your rights if you miss your flight due to a delayed train on the same reservation?

A passenger of a combined journey of a train and a plane with a single reservation number have the same rights as the passenger of a connecting flight. That applies to cases when the passenger misses the second leg because the first flight of the journey was late to arrive. So forget the circumstance that it’s technically not a connecting flight. If you miss your flight due to a delayed train on the same reservation, the airline is responsible for giving you all the care you are entitled to.

As well as all the means of getting you to your final point of destination.

What kind of care am I entitled to?

Such care should be identical to the one specified in the Regulation (EC) 261/2004, when it comes to the assistance in case of lengthy delay, flight cancellation or overbooking. And by definition of care, you gain the right to:

In not-very-rare cases, due to a missed flight, your journey may prolong not for an hour or two, but for a more extended period of time. So if you’ll have to wait for your alternative flight overnight, the airline is responsible for giving you even more sophisticated care. That means:

Here we should remind you that if an airline does not reach out to you regarding the care, it’s better to ask for it as soon as possible yourself. Just ask for the responsible person at the check-in counter. This checkpoint is obligatory during every airport stage of your journey anyhow.

Can I take care of myself if the airline refuses to do so?

In some situations, the air carrier can fail to provide you such care. One more thing: of course, such expenses must be made with common sense. No airline is obliged to cover the price of a meal worth a four-number figure or accommodation at the five-star hotel.

And what about an alternative flight to my final destination?

It’s both your and the airline’s priority to do it as soon as possible. Most probably, any of your travel rearrangements will be made by the official representative of the carrier to which you will be directed to after visiting the check-in counter.

It is not unusual that in the event of a very long delay there won’t be anybody present at the counter you would be initially heading to. The main advice in such a situation would be not to get lost. You can always ask the airport staff for help and calling the airline’s hotline or customer service is always a good idea. In fact, you can even do so while still on the train – just after you’ve realized that the flight is about to be missed.

Need any help? Just contact Skycop!

In any case, there’s never a need to panic. Remember: if the airline sold you the combined journey on the same reservation, it’s must be ready to take care of you in the event of a trip disruption.

Of course, some misunderstandings can always happen. So if the airline fails in meeting any of the obligations mentioned above, you can always contact Skycop. We are dedicated to protecting air passenger rights all around the world. And, even if passengers who missed their flight because of a delayed train on the same reservation are not entitled to a compensation under the Regulation (EC) 261/2004, we are ready to give you any help we can and the advice on how to proceed if you were not given proper care, alternative flight or you had to book a new flight yourself and need to get its cost covered by the carrier.