If you are late for your flight

Missing your flight can be a painful experience, but there are things you can do to alleviate the situation. So what should you do when you arrive late for a flight or miss it altogether?

Most airlines now offer customers the option of checking-in online to avoid queuing at the check-in desk. Checking-in the online way allows you to go straight to security via the bag drop-off, saving you valuable time. Those without internet access or those who don't trust computers to do their work for them, can check-in in the standard manner. Just be sure that you know how long before your flight boards that your airline's check-in desk closes, as if you miss the check-in, you won't get on that plane.

Airline companies have different attitudes when it comes to missing check-ins. Virgin and British Airways are two of the strictest, allowing little or no exceptions whatsoever, while others will offer a little more flexibility.

Queues at check-in desks can be extremely long, which in some cases can cause passengers to miss the flight that they're queuing to board. If the queue you are in is particularly long and you think this may cause you to miss your flight, then tell a member of staff immediately. If you are using a shared check-in desk you will be moved up the queue ahead of passengers queuing for later flights.

It pays to keep your eyes and ears open when you're finally airside. Once you've checked-in, keep an eye on the departure screens just in case you miss any announcements or there are no loudspeakers at your particular airport. You will be met with different responses from different airlines if you turn up late for boarding. If other passengers are still boarding then some airlines will leave it up to the captain to decide whether or not you get to join them. Monarch is one of the more lenient airline companies, and they advise their passengers to proceed to their gate even if it has closed, and they will see what they can do. The final decision always rests with the pilot. Families turning up late after car trouble, or trying to chase after their young children will be viewed in a far more lenient light than someone who has turned up late after spending too long in the airport bar or shops. In this case, you have no chance of boarding.

If you miss your flight completely then you may be offered a credit note, refund or transfer for the unused part of your ticket, but your chances here are slim. And if your flight is an economy flight or you are travelling as part of a package trip then your chances drop from slim to none. The first thing to do is to head to your airline's customer service desk immediately where they can tell you your options, if any. Here you'll be able to find out if your carrier will be willing to transfer you for a fee, or offer you any kind of support. You're likely to have more of a chance of transferring with charter carriers and low-cost airlines, who are a lot more flexible than the scheduled airlines.