Most Common Travel Emergencies & How to Deal With Them in 2024

Traveling is a beautiful thing and an activity that rarely anyone dislikes or hates. Visiting new countries and experiencing the cultures and traditions of foreign people is quite special, and so is listening to their languages. Simply put, traveling makes people more aware of the world and therefore richer in all the things that matter.
However, considering the state of the modern world and how much stuff we have to think about and pay attention to, traveling comes with many potential problems and emergencies. A lot of things could go wrong and at often times they do, especially if we are not careful enough.

In this article, we are going to talk about the most common travel emergencies and how best to deal with them. All of us have experienced at least one of these in some capacity, so you will know exactly what we mean.

1. Lost Keys

Let us start with something that not everyone thinks of immediately when this topic is concerned. When you travel, you have to carry the keys to your house or apartment with you so that you can go straight back when you return. Not everyone feels comfortable with leaving their keys with family and friends which is why they take them and keep them with the luggage. However, keys can be lost pretty easily, and when you come home you cannot enter it. Luckily, you can always call a trusty locksmith to assist you in such an emergency. They are equipped with all sorts of tools and can either change your lock or attempt to replicate the key according to your lock. If you are located in Liverpool, England, UK, make sure to check out locksafelocksmithsliverpool.co.uk for more on locksmithing.

2. Missed Flight

Of course, there is hardly anything worse than missing the means of your transportation, the worst being the plane that was supposed to take you to the destination. No matter how much time we devote to the trip to the airport, we cannot help but think that we will eventually be late for the flight and never leave for our trip booked months before. However, there are things that can be done if you are unfortunate enough to miss your flight. Once you realize that you are not making it, make sure to call the airline and let them know about the situation. If they are not able to give you any kind of fee adjustment or book the next flight that day, you can always try to wait one more day. Some airlines have a very neat flat tire rule that allows passengers to fly standby for the next flight. Booking a last-minute flight is often impossible, and even if you manage to find a spot it will be more expensive than what you originally paid for.

3. Canceled Flight

This is not nearly as bad as missing your flight, first and foremost because it is not your fault at all. Secondly, it is much easier to deal with because the airport and the airline are obliged to find each and every passenger a new plane to take to the destination. Most of them have policies set in place for this exact thing because it could happen with literally every flight. Reasons for it are many, but what is important is the fact that you will probably not have to pay anything extra. The worst thing about it is the wait time since you will have to remain on airport grounds. Most often, the plane that was originally supposed to take you to the destination will in fact be the one you will travel on, only a bit later than you should have. Mechanical issues or weather delays are two of the most common factors that influence canceled or delayed flights. The best-case scenario for the customers is when the airplane pays for the troubles in the form of meals or nights at the closest hotel.

4. Lost, Stolen, or Forgotten Passport and/or ID

If you forgot your ID or passport and are already at the airport, your possible options vary greatly depending on the airline, the airport, and the flight. Depending on how much time is left until the boarding time, you could attempt to go back for it or have somebody deliver it. Similarly, it depends on whether or not you are traveling domestic or abroad. If you suspect that somebody has stolen your documents, report it to the airport security and the local police. File a claim on your travel insurance too. If this happens during your trip, do the same with the foreign representatives of the law and get in touch with the embassy of your country, or a consulate. You will have paperwork to fill out and a fee to pay probably. Then you will wait for a few days until a new passport is made and arrives at your current destination. This is why everyone in the traveling industry advises having a copy of your passport and ID just in case because they can help verify that it is indeed you. Keep your ID stored away safely in your room and carry the copies with you.

5. Lost Luggage

Lastly of the most common travel emergencies is of course the case of lost luggage, which happens once it is time to pick up your bags following the flight. We say flight because it rarely happens with other means of transportation, and the absolute worst of them all is with airplane travel. Your bags may have been loaded in the wrong plane, they might have been unloaded onto the wrong baggage carousel, or somebody else could have picked them up. You never know, and in reality, this can potentially happen every time you travel. It is an unfortunate situation, and if the airline is to blame, rest assured that they will do everything they can to return the bags to you, the owner. If they cannot, you will be compensated as they have strict laws and rules that dictate this. You could be compensated even more through your travel insurance. It all comes down to the specific case, the place where you are and their airport, the kind of plane that brought you there, and the airline. If somebody else took your bags, you can try running around the place until you find them or wait for them to realize the mistake and call you. Make sure to attach a luggage tag to every bag you have!