Missed flight due to passport control in Portugal

kate28_2

Can anyone advise if you think we can claim any money back in this situation please?
so my husband arrived at Lisbon airport 3 hours before flight, he had 3 sections of delays, the bag drop, the security and finally passport control, all of this ment he got to the gate 15 mins before take off, they wouldn’t let him, his elderly father and around 10 others on to the flight to Heathrow.  They were directed to the desk where the only option they was given was to buy new flights home costing €350.01 each.  So they paid and had a 5 hour wait before the flight left.  As the delays were all airport side is it possible to claim the costs back? Flights were with TAP if that makes a difference.

Thanks all

eskbanker

It doesn't sound like the airline bears any responsibility here (assuming the flight was closed rather than overbooked) and I'd doubt that the airport would accept any financial liability either, but his travel insurance may be worth a try?

CKhalvashi

This will be one for insurance if a suitable policy was taken out. 

To put things as simply as possible, it's the responsibility of the passenger to arrive on time at the gate, not the responsibility of the airline to wait for late passengers delaying their own schedules in the process. The airport will likely not pay, nor will the government (immigration) etc.

Flights will close normally at T-20 if possible to ensure a smooth process for everyone.

eskbanker

CKhalvashi said:

Flights will close normally at T-20 if possible to ensure a smooth process for everyone.

https://www.flytap.com/en-gb/check-in/check-in-times

To ensure that your flight leaves on time, all passengers must be at the boarding gate 30 minutes before the departure time.

CKhalvashi

eskbanker said:

CKhalvashi said:

Flights will close normally at T-20 if possible to ensure a smooth process for everyone.

https://www.flytap.com/en-gb/check-in/check-in-times

To ensure that your flight leaves on time, all passengers must be at the boarding gate 30 minutes before the departure time.

Arguably this should be better for on time performance in this case.

The time in any event would have been on the boarding pass quite clearly, whether that was digital or physical.