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uk Travel, documents & being abroad lost boarding pass • lost boarding card • paper boarding pass missing • boarding pass lost in transit • connection boarding pass lost • transfer boarding pass missing • cannot access booking • can’t open booking on phone • phone dead at airport • phone lost while travelling • no signal to access booking • no internet to retrieve boarding pass • forgot booking reference • can’t find pnr • can’t access email confirmation • stuck in transit without pass • connecting flight details missing • boarding pass barcode not available • can’t pass transfer security • can’t find gate for connection

What to do if…
you lose a paper boarding pass for a connection and you cannot access your booking on your phone

Short answer

Follow the airport’s Connections / Flight Connections route and go straight to your airline’s transfer/help desk or a self-service kiosk to get your boarding pass reissued using your passport/ID.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t leave the connections/transfer route (or exit to landside) to “sort it out” unless airport/airline staff tell you to — it can add security queues and delay you.
  • Don’t leave the airport during a connection unless you’re sure you’re allowed to enter the UK (you may have to pass UK border control and meet entry requirements).
  • Don’t assume you’re stuck because your phone won’t load — staff can usually retrieve the booking and reissue a pass after an ID check.
  • Don’t join a random check-in line without first looking for a Connections/Transfer desk (often faster for connecting passengers).
  • Don’t hand your passport to strangers offering help; use only official airline/airport counters and staff.

What to do now

  1. Pause where you are and keep moving in the right direction. Look for signs that say Flight Connections / Connections / Transfers and follow them so you stay on the correct route for onward flights.
  2. Use the departure boards to lock in your next flight details. Note the flight number, destination, and departure time (take a photo if you can — even with no internet).
  3. Go to the nearest official help point for your airline:
    • an airline transfer/connection desk, or
    • a self-service machine/kiosk, or
    • the gate staff for your next flight (if you already know the gate and boarding is soon). Say: “I’m connecting, I’ve lost my paper boarding pass, and I can’t access my booking on my phone. Can you reissue my boarding pass? Here’s my passport/ID.”
  4. If you’re unsure whether you can proceed through transfer security without the boarding pass, ask. At some airports you may be able to go through transfer security with an itinerary/flight details, and then collect your boarding pass at the airline desk or self-service machines — but don’t assume; follow what staff direct.
  5. If you don’t know your booking reference, don’t guess repeatedly. Give staff your full name (as on passport), date of travel, route, and airline — they can often locate the booking that way and then verify your identity.
  6. If you have checked baggage, tell the agent immediately. Ask whether your bag is checked through to your final destination and whether you need to stay airside.
  7. Before you walk away, check the reissued pass: correct name, flight number, date, departure time, and terminal/gate (if shown). Then go straight to the connection route/gate.

What can wait

  • You do not need to fix your phone, apps, passwords, or roaming right now.
  • You do not need to argue about fees, complaints, or policies while the clock is running.
  • You do not need to make new travel plans until you know whether you’re cleared for the next flight.

Important reassurance

This is a common airport problem. Most of the time it’s solved quickly by an ID check and a reprint/reissue at a transfer desk, kiosk, or gate.

Scope note

These are first steps to get you boarded and moving again. If you miss the connection or get rebooked, you can deal with rerouting, costs, and documentation once you’re on a stable plan.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. Airline and airport procedures vary by carrier, route, and security rules, so follow instructions from the airline and airport staff on site.

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