Missed connections
You missed your connection.
Start by checking how the trip was booked.
Missed connection cases are often more nuanced than straightforward delays. The biggest early question is whether the journey was booked as one itinerary or as separate tickets.
Review your next steps →The most important question: one booking or two?
This usually shapes the rerouting and compensation analysis more than anything else.
Single booking (one reference)
When both flights are on one booking reference, the airline is generally responsible for getting you to the final destination. If the first leg caused the missed connection, rerouting and compensation questions are usually assessed across the full journey.
- ✓ Rerouting is often part of the airline's responsibility
- ✓ Care obligations may apply while you wait
- ✓ Final-arrival delay may matter more than the missed segment alone
Separate tickets (two bookings)
Separate tickets are usually treated as separate contracts. That often means the onward carrier does not have to protect the missed second flight just because the first one was late.
- • Protection for the second flight is often limited
- • Travel insurance may be relevant in some cases
- • The first disrupted flight may still have its own rights analysis
Compensation is usually assessed by the final destination
Under EU261, the important delay is often the delay to your final destination, not just the transfer airport. A relatively short inbound delay can still become a much longer overall delay if it causes you to miss an onward flight.
If the total final-arrival delay reaches 3 hours or more on a single booking, compensation may still be in scope:
- Up to 1,500 km total distance€250
- 1,500–3,500 km€400
- Over 3,500 km€600
What to do at the airport
- 1Go to the airline service desk or transfer desk as soon as possible.
- 2Confirm whether the journey is on one booking reference or separate tickets.
- 3Ask what rerouting options are available to your final destination.
- 4Request written confirmation of the new arrangement and, if possible, the cause of the original delay.
- 5Keep boarding passes, booking confirmations, and any receipts from the disruption.
- 6If you are left waiting for a long period, ask what care or reimbursement options apply.
Decide what to do next
In missed connection cases, the useful first step is often to work out whether the itinerary was sold as one journey, preserve the paperwork, and understand whether the delay to the final destination is the real issue.
Once those basics are clear, you will be in a better position to decide whether to pursue the matter directly or seek outside help later.
Separate-ticket journeys can involve extra variables, so it is worth checking the booking structure carefully before assuming the outcome.