What Happens If Your Connecting Flight Is Delayed? Your Rights and Possible Risks
As an airline staff member, one of the most common frustrations I hear from passengers is:
“My first flight was delayed, so I missed my connection. What happens now?”
This situation can be confusing, and many travelers simply give up without realizing that they may have important rights. The outcome largely depends on whether your journey was booked on a codeshare / single ticket or on separate tickets.
To make things clear, I’ll first give you a short explanation of what codeshare and non-codeshare flights are
Codeshare Flights (Single Ticket, One Booking Reference)
If your entire journey was booked under one ticket and a single booking reference (PNR), often with codeshare partners (e.g., MIAT + Turkish Airlines on the same ticket):
Your whole trip is considered one contract of carriage.
If the first flight is delayed and you miss your connection, the airline is responsible for getting you to your final destination.
Free rebooking onto the next available flight
Meals and refreshments during your waiting time
Hotel accommodation if the delay requires an overnight stay
Advantage: Your entire trip is protected. The airline must take care of you until you reach your final destination.
Separate Tickets (Two Different Bookings)
If you bought your flights separately — for example:
Ulaanbaatar → Seoul (MIAT, one booking)
Seoul → Paris (Air France, purchased separately)
— these are treated as two independent contracts.
If your first flight is delayed and you miss the second one, the second airline has no obligation to rebook you.
You may still be eligible for compensation for the first delayed flight itself, but:
You’ll need to buy a new ticket for your next leg of the journey
Hotel and meal costs may come out of your own pocket
The overall financial risk is much higher
Risk: When traveling on separate tickets, even a short delay on the first flight can cause major disruptions and unexpected expenses.
So, to minimize your risks, just follow these simple guidelines below.
Check your ticket type before traveling — Is your journey under one booking reference (codeshare/single ticket) or two separate ones?
Keep all documents — boarding passes, delay notifications, emails or SMS from the airline.
Know your entitlements — after 3+ hours of delay, passengers are often entitled to meals, accommodation, and sometimes compensation, depending on the route and regulations.
Leave enough buffer time between connections, especially when flights are on separate tickets.
As airline staff, I often see passengers in distress when a delayed flight causes them to miss their connection. Many are not aware that they are legally entitled to compensation — and even fewer know that services like Compensair can take the entire burden off their shoulders.
But do you realize that you’re actually entitled to this?
If you are traveling to, from, or within the EU, you may be covered by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, which grants passengers:
Financial compensation of up to €600 if a delay or cancellation causes you to arrive at your final destination 3+ hours late (depending on flight distance)
Meals and refreshments during the waiting period
Hotel accommodation if an overnight stay is necessary
Free rebooking or refund for the affected journey.
But here’s the challenge: Claiming this compensation directly from the airline can be complex, time-consuming, and often frustrating. Airlines may delay responses or reject claims unless passengers push back with the proper legal basis.
For these reasons, most passengers end up feeling tired and stressed, and in many cases, they simply give up and walk away.
Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you submit a claim via Compensair, at no extra cost to you.
But... A missed connection doesn’t have to mean lost money or endless stress. With Compensair, you can turn a frustrating disruption into a fair compensation claim.
Next time your journey is disrupted, don’t just wait at the airport desk feeling powerless — check your flight for free with Compensair and let professionals fight for what you’re owed.
At the end of the day, here’s what I really want you to know…
If your connecting flight is delayed or canceled, remember:
Know your rights under EU261 or other regional passenger protection laws
Keep your documents (boarding pass, booking confirmation, delay notices)
Don’t fight alone — services like Compensair are designed to handle the negotiations and legal work for you.
Did You Know Compensair Can Protect You From These Risks?