When You’re Late For Your Flight in Spite of Reaching The Airport Punctually
Being on time is my forte and I am rarely late to catch a flight. The secret is, more than being punctual, it is the airport vibe that attracts me.
I am in the habit of reaching the airport quite in advance, finishing the check-ins, and consequently having ample time to explore around. I resonate with so many of us who love this part of traveling more than the actual journey.
Haven’t airports nowadays transformed into miniature shopping malls, with high-end brands and restaurants? But I am not complaining !!
I enjoy browsing around the posh shopping areas and can’t resist having a bite at the inviting eateries. Though heavier on the pockets, sometimes in-flight food is not up to the mark, and this is a better bet.
Ironically, however, this particular journey that I undertook from Copenhagen to Brussels, deviated from the normal.
The reason — despite reaching the Copenhagen airport well before the flight’s scheduled departure time, we were inevitably quite late for the boarding.
The result — we almost missed our flight that day.
Here’s a flashback of what happened :
Stepping into a bustling airport, it’s a scene that’s been witnessed countless times — the cacophony of hurried footsteps, and excited chatter.
Feeling quite relaxed to find just a handful of people at the check-in counter, we were in no haste to get into the queue. But soon enough, in the blink of an eye, saw that there were more people, so proceeded to join them.
The person at the counter seemed to be taking an unduly long time with each passenger, and I was curious to know why (were they having a personal conversation or striking a friendship perhaps; but this was definitely not the right place for that !!). It seemed as though he was unconcerned about the serpentine queues of waiting passengers. At last, after what seemed like ages, our turn finally came.
Having checked in the luggage and feeling at ease after collecting our boarding passes, the very next moment left us panicky on hearing “You’ve got to hurry up….it takes 20 minutes from here to reach the gates”. This was the least we expected — I was zapped — 20 minutes ??….. wondering whether airports have evolved into self-contained towns overnight.
Setting off at a brisk pace, weaving through the bustling terminal, we literally had to run. I have never run so much lately, except of course years ago as a kid participating in the sports day sprint.
As we drew nearer to the departure gates, we heard an announcement calling out our names, requesting us to reach as quickly as possible as the plane was ready for departure.
Nervous, maneuvering through the crowds, with the carry-on luggage, we entered the fully packed aircraft, to the amused, somewhat cynical looks of passengers. Their eyes seemingly asking “What took you so long?”
Lesson learned — Everything cannot always be smooth sailing and perfect. The same principle applies to life as well. Unexpected happenings are a part of life.
It’s not always that travel goes wrong.
Once in a while, it does!!
Hence be Prepared. Be Vigilant. And don’t take things for granted.
What to Do — The day prior to your flight, check the details and logistics of the airport. Airports are becoming massive, all-encompassing, having not just eateries and shops but entertainment points as well. Distances within the airport may be quite a lot, so plan accordingly.
