It was April 2012 and I was in Munich, Germany, on the last of my fifteen days travelling in Europe by train. I asked Florian, a friend who was having me to stay at his home through couchsurfing, the best way to reach the airport. He said that it was easy, there are directions in all the metro stations. As usual I went early to avoid delays, I followed the directions at the metro stations and three hours before departure I was at the airport. I waited one hour and went to look at the screen to find where my check-in was, and then I got confused because I could not find my flight on the screen, what had happened?! Wasn’t I seeing well?! I went straight to the information counter and asked if there was some problem with my flight.
– Your flight isn’t from this airport, it is from the other one outside of the city, it will be impossible for you to get there in time. She said.
I was shocked! I didn’t realize that Munich could have more than one airport. Many low cost companies fly from smaller airports. After a long conversation with the lady I decided that it was better to go to the other airport even if I didn’t get there in time.
I went to the train station, and showed my plane ticket to ask for a train ticket there because the name was unpronounceable.
– You have a train in 20 minutes but you will not be in time for the flight. – He said.
– I know, I know, but I want to go to this airport anyway! – I said at the same time that I gave him the money.
– But you will not be there in time! – He said again.
– I know, but I want to go there. – I said quietly but with an extreme urge to scream.
– Here is your ticket, but I want to let you know that you will not arrive in time for your flight. – He said at the same time that he gave me the train ticket.
I didn’t say anything else, I just wanted scream! He must have been teasing me!:D
I went in the train, and after a couple of hours reached the right airport. I booked a new ticket, but not to Lisbon, the only available (and cheaper) flight was to Faro. I arrived there in the middle of the night/at midnight, got in the bus to Lisbon, reaching there at six in the morning. At eight in the morning I finally arrived home, half a day and a lot of Euros after the time I should have arrived!
*Picture: Munich metro, April 2012
Believe it or not, yours is the second ‘Missed my flight in Germany’ incident that I reading today. Is Germany becoming the THE place to miss your flights 🙂
It happens to many people 😉
That probably was really stressful! But you managed the situation!!! I would have been annoyed as well from someone telling me that for 10x – if you want to go to the airport anyway, it sounds just reasonable, not crazy!!! 😀
It was crazy, he was joking at me ahaha!!
Oh my goodness!!! Every travellers nightmare. I can feel my heart skin when I read the ‘this is not the right airport’. Glad you were able to get home eventually!
Yeah, just wanted to cry!! But now, a few years later it is fun to remember!!
Such escapades are stressful but eventually, they make good stories. I have not missed flights but once I messed up in a place that had two train stations. Good that it did not stop you from travelling later on.
Yeah, now it is a fun story!! 🙂
I remembered our epic failed adventure on your blog post. It was totally nerve wracking and life changing as well. Glad that you were able to arrive home safe. On the other hand, these kinds of failures also make the adventure thrilling and exciting at the same time. HAHA.
Yeah, when everything runs perfect isn’t fun 😉
A story true to my heart. Been there done that. When i booked a flight i left in my head what time the plane left. I arrived one hour too late. My fault not checking before hand. Glad you got home safe and sound.
Ah, sad to hear that also happened to you… This things happens to everyone 😀
What a disaster, glad you got home alright in the end. I once turned up to the airport on the wrong day as Ryanair used to offer tickets for the day before or after rather than the day you actually wanted. Travelling can certainly be stressful
Yeah it was a disaster, right now, a fun disaster ahah 😉
I’m shocked! I travel ever so often to Munich and I am not aware there is another airport! A very good information to have. I thought the other closest airport is the one in Nuremberg, but it takes about 2 hour by train to get there.
I was Ryanair and they don’t flight from the main Munich airport, I didn’t know 😀
Well I am glad that you were still able to make it home! You are very lucky to have been flying within Europe when you missed your flight. Imagine if you were flying England to Australia or something. We have almost missed trains a few times and that is stressful enough!
I don’t want to think about it, it would be much more expensive 😀
Oh, that must be a nightmare. We almost lost our flight in Munich due to confusion of Airport but a local helped us in figuring out the right airport before it was too late.
Always Munich ahaha! Glad that you mad it!!
Missing a flight is like a nightmare. If it were to happen to me, perhaps I won’t be able to decide my next move so quickly. I guess you dealt with it rather smartly and finally found your way to reach the destination. Hope it never happens again.
Yeah we cannot stop, these things happens in travel not just with plane but with everything and we need to react 😀
Awww. This is such a pain as well as a nightmare. I can very well imagine what you might have gone through but some situations are unavoidable and this was really one of them. Your post will make so many people aware about the second airport in Munich and will help them in avoiding the same mistake.
It was a crazy day, but at least I learned with it 😀
That is one stressful day. Its a nightmare for a traveler. This i dont wanna experience ever!!!
I hope you don’t and I hope i don’t experience it again!!
Oh no! I’ve done this before too and was in the same boat. It’s so frustrating when you make what seems to be like a dumb mistake, but know that you’re not alone! I totally understand your frustrating at that ticket guy though, like, he was trying to be helpful but JUST LET HER GO TO THE AIRPORT! Hahaha. Oof. Hope it doesn’t happen again!
Yeah, the guy almost killed me saying all the time that I will not make it at a time!!
What a crazy ride! It’s so difficult when we miss a flight. And having to go to Faro instead of Lisbon and then drive all night in a bus to the capital city must have been terrible.
It was crazy Marlene. Now I am much more careful about it!!
Oh goodness, reading your article made me remember my experience missing my flight, too! I know exactly how you feel. Well, at least it is an experience that we both learned a lot from. I almost missed a flight in Germany as well, but that was in Berlin Tegel and not Munich. Now, I am more careful checking the flight times, airport names and terminal numbers before flying.
The same here, much more careful now 🙂
I was lucky never to miss a flight or get confused about airport but I believe that it can easily happen. I live near London and imagine that there are 5 airports belonging to London! If you go to the wrong one there is no way you can make it back as the distances are huge and sometimes it takes more than two hours to reach one, from the centre of the city. I imagine how hard and how tired you must have been after missing the flight and having to fly to Faro instead of Lisbon.
It is true, in London it is so easy to happens, glad to know that you always made it without problem 🙂
I missed flights twice , once I was stuck in traffic and second was one when I actually forgot my return date and assuming my flight on next day. Don’t ask me how much money I spent to book a flight immediately.
Oh twice??? A few months ago when my sister went to drop me at the airport we also stayed stocked at the traffic but I made it in the last minute!
Oh I’m so sorry to hear that happen! Lesson learned though. At least you still got home safely! I’ve had a few close calls myself, luckily I always made it.
Glad that you always made it, I learned in the worst way, after that I am much more careful about it!! At least now I have a fun story to tell ahaha!!
Wow this is so well told, it seems like you have a really adventurous spirit, despite troubles on the road. Keep up the amazing work. Also I love your blog format, it’s gorgeous!
Dang I would be extremely upset if this happens to me as I usually travel on a budget and don’t carry a lot of money for extra. So I always make sure that I stay near the airport or that I go there hours before my flight especially from another country because I don’t want to cry when something like this happens. I can only imagine your pain.
Yes, it was really painful to me and to my wallet. Crazy day!
Oh, this is something that could definitely happen to me as well! A few years ago, it would have me in a state of total stress and breakdown, but by getting older, I’m living the ‘Hakuna Matata’-motto I guess. If you can’t change it, there’s no point in stressing about it!
The Hakuna Matata motto is the best ahaha 😀
Missing a flight is everyone’s nightmare. I can imagine the amount of stress that you would have gone through. Glad that you got a plane soon afterwards, although you had to spend more euros on it.
It seems like you handled that incident pretty well. If I were in your shoes, I would’ve been stressed out to even think straight. Haha. I missed my train once, but I don’t think I want to miss a plane. I would be furious at myself for a long time. LOL
Thanks, I love that country!
Now I can laugh about it, but on that day it wasn’t funny ahah!!