I never thought it would happen to me, but alas, I missed my connecting flight with Cathay Pacific on my way home from Taipei to Bangkok. What happens when you miss a connecting flight? I am sharing my experience with fellow passengers and travelers, so they get an idea of what to expect when they do miss their connecting flight.
I Missed My Connecting Flight: Now What?
I was ready to go home after five days in Taipei and Taichung, from which I booked a flight with Cathay Pacific to Bangkok. Unfortunately, mid to late October is the rainy season in Taipei, and I was not spared from the downpour. Still, my first girls’ trip was very memorable, more so my flight back home.
My departing flight from Taipei to Hong Kong was almost an hour delayed due to the heavy rains. I understood that Cathay Pacific had taken careful precautions for everyone’s safety, but I was anxious about our connecting flight in Hong Kong.
While on board, I informed a cabin crew member that I had a connecting flight. By the looks of it, I will have a very, very tight transfer, considering the process of going through immigration, security checks, and the sheer vastness of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) — we took trains to the boarding gates, for crying out loud! The cabin crew assured me that a ground crew would be ready to assist once we arrived, so I eased up, thinking all would go well.
Our plane landed in Hong Kong International Airport at 9:00 pm, and I was only able to leave the aircraft at 9:15 pm. What is the boarding time for my connecting flight? 9:10 pm. I hurried to find a ground crew and quickly saw one holding a sign with my connecting flight number. Surely, they will let me board the plane if we could fast-track immigration and security, right? After all, the plane is supposed to leave at 9:50 pm. There is time, or so I thought.
Missed Connections and Free Hotel Accommodations
The ground crew quickly informed us that we could no longer board the plane and that Cathay Pacific would provide free hotel accommodation until we catch our next flight. I was so eager to go home, I said, “But I need to board that flight.” Calmly, experiencedly, as though the ground crew had heard the same thing every day for years (and probably so), he explained that the next flight to Bangkok is leaving at 9:00 am, so all I could do was to sleep in a hotel.
The ground crew led all passengers with missed connections to a holding area, where they issued hotel and meal vouchers to everyone.
Immigration and Security Check for Passengers with Missed Connections
The ground crew explained that just as with a regular connecting flight, passengers with missed connections will go through immigration, security check, and luggage claim. The hotel, thankfully, was directly connected to the airport, so we didn’t have to worry about hotel transfers.
Cathay Pacific gave us our new boarding passes, a voucher for a night’s stay at the Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong, and a 75 HKD meal voucher that we can claim at any restaurant inside Hong Kong International Airport.
Filipinos don’t need a visa for Hong Kong, so I only had to mention my missed flight and present the hotel voucher to confirm I’d be staying there for only a few hours.
Luggage Claim for Missed Connections with Cathay Pacific
After the security check, I needed to claim my luggage. While this latter part looks pretty straightforward, the ground crew didn’t specify exactly where to claim it, and no, it wasn’t from the luggage belt of my previous flight. I worried my luggage was lost when the screen displayed “last bags,” and my bag was nowhere in sight.
Thankfully, a ground crew was there and directed me to Baggage Enquiry – this is where lost luggage and luggage from missed connections are handled. I asked for my bag, but the luggage tag was attached to my previous boarding pass, which they replaced with a new one for the next day. The crew manually searched for the information and found that my bag was in a holding area and might be delivered within 2 hours.
To my dismay, tired as I am, I had to wait until 11:45 pm for my bag. Not wanting to be the annoying passenger, I spent most of my time calling my family to explain what happened, re-arranging logistics, and trying to take a nap.
Note: There are no charging stations or ports around the baggage claim area.
Free Hotel Stay at Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong for My Missed Cathay Pacific Flight
Not wasting time, I went straight to Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong to check in, take a bath, and sleep. Thankfully, checking in was quick and the hotel room was quite spacious, even for Hong Kong standards. Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong is one of those OG hotels with thick walls and good beds. The only downside is that their power outlets are only Type G — no universal outlets or USB ports. I made a mental note to buy a universal adapter that includes Type G. I looked for something that we could use, and found that the hair dryer port can take one of my adapters. Charging was very slow, but it was better than nothing.
Cathay Pacific Meal Voucher
The next day, I came to check in early and have some breakfast at HKIA’s Airside Food Court. I had to select my meal to fit my 75 HKD voucher carefully. I can only use it at one restaurant, and no change is issued, as with most vouchers. I didn’t care to use my credit card for the inconvenience or bother to have some money changed. I picked Dudell’s a la carte congee and a can of Coke. While it’s too early for soda, it’s the only one that fits the budget. Most restaurants in HKIA’s Airside Food Court set meals (one with a hot drink suitable for breakfast) start at 85 HKD. I hope Cathay Pacific will be more considerate about this next time.
Boarding My New Flight
I thought my flight woes were over. I checked in early and meant to relax by my boarding gate, only to find out about a gate change at the last minute. It wouldn’t be a big deal if it were only a few gates away, but HKIA is enormous, so I had to run two full lengths of a series of boarding gates. I was able to board the plane with a quick and apologetic request for some water. We had another flight delay, but I didn’t think much of it. All I wanted was to come home.
My Missed Connection Experience
While Cathay Pacific is proactive about passenger inconveniences, missing a connecting flight isn’t fun. It’s stressful, derailed plans, and increased my expenses. 100% not recommended. I have no qualms about Cathay Pacific’s service, but this may be the last flight with connections I book with any airline, if I can avoid it.
Staying Connected with Airalo
If there’s one thing I did well during an otherwise stressful trip, it is getting Airalo. It was a very easy way to stay connected while I was in Taiwan, and even more so when I had an unplanned night in Hong Kong. Sure, HKIA and Regal Airport Hotel provide free wifi for guests, but it has its dead spots and tends to disconnect from time to time. Airalo is more affordable than most data roaming plans and easy to install and activate. I was able to buy a data roaming plan while walking from our plane to Cathay Pacific’s holding area.
Try it on your next trip and save 3 USD using my code, ABIGAI7742.
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Mark x Abi 