1
Check Status First
Before you join any line
- Check the airline app or website for rebooking options before joining an airport line
- Screenshot your original itinerary and boarding pass before anything changes
- Note the delay/cancellation reason shown — useful later for reimbursement
2
Call the Travel Agency
Your first call — every time, for any disruption
This is your first call for any disruption — cancellation, missed flight, or missed connection.
Travel agency 24/7 line
- Ask them to rebook you on the next available flight
- Get a reference number for the new booking
- Confirm the new booking by email if possible
3
If a Hotel Stay Is Needed
The rule hinges on one thing: has the clock passed midnight?
Before midnight
Disruption happens the same calendar day.
- Ask the travel agency to arrange and book the hotel directly
- If the airline offers a hotel/voucher due to their fault, take it if reasonable — but confirm with the agency it doesn't conflict with your rebooking
After 00:00 — day has turned over
Book the hotel yourself.
- Agency systems may not process a booking fast enough after hours — book directly and submit for reimbursement
Reimbursement checklist
- Keep the itemized receipt
- Note the reason for disruption (flight #, cause)
- Submit within your company's expense policy window
- Reasonable cost only — stay within travel policy caps
4
Missed a Flight or Connection
Overslept, traffic, or a late inbound connection — same response
Go straight to the desk or call
Head to the airline desk or call the travel agency — don't wait in a rebooking queue if you can call instead.
Ask for the next available flight
Confirm any fare difference is covered under company travel policy.
Check who's at fault
If the miss was due to a delayed inbound flight, the airline may rebook you free of charge — ask before paying yourself.
5
Notify & Document
Keep your company posted
Keep your company posted
- Message your manager or trip coordinator with your new arrival time and hotel status if applicable
- Update any local host, client, or meeting contact if the delay affects a scheduled meeting
Keep all documentation
- Boarding passes (old and new)
- Hotel receipts
- Any airline communication about the cause of delay/cancellation
- Useful for reimbursement and possible compensation claims (e.g., EU261)
6
Lost or Delayed Baggage
Get the claim on record before you leave the airport
- Go to the Lost & Found desk — before leaving the airport, approach baggage services or the airline's lost & found desk directly
- File a claim — report the missing bag and complete a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) with the airline
- Get your reference number — keep a copy of the report; you'll need it to track the bag and for any reimbursement
- Provide delivery details — give your hotel or home address so the bag can be delivered once located
Bring to the desk
- Boarding pass and baggage claim tag
- Flight number and travel itinerary
- Description of the bag and its contents
- Contact details and delivery address
Buying essentials
If the bag is delayed overnight, keep receipts for essential items (toiletries, a change of clothes) — most airlines and travel policies reimburse reasonable costs.
★
Quick Reference
Always call the travel agency first
| Rebooking a flight | Travel agency emergency line: |
| Hotel before midnight | Travel agency books it |
| Hotel after midnight | Book yourself → submit for reimbursement |
| Lost or delayed baggage | Airline Lost & Found desk — file a PIR before leaving |