Dear Colleague,
I hope you are doing fine after your trip and are getting used to the place. You have no idea how sorry I am for not showing up at the airport to pick you up last week like I said I would. Letting you down makes me feel really awful.
Time just slipped away from me completely because of a scheduling conflict. I had an urgent client meeting that was moved to the same afternoon at the last minute, and in the rush of preparing for it, I didn’t bother to check your arrival time again. It was only later that night when I saw your message that I realized my error. My heart sank when I realized that after such a long flight you had to handle everything by yourself.
As soon as I figured out what had taken place, I got in touch with the hotel to ensure that your transfer arrangements were still valid and to verify that you had, in fact, arrived. Moreover, I also booked a car service for you to take you to the office the following morning, thereby hoping to compensate, albeit in a tiny way, for the trouble I imposed.
I am really sorry for any annoyance or discomfort this might have caused. You were never supposed to be inconvenienced by me and I will make it a point to set better reminders and confirm all future arrangements well in advance.
Your understanding means a lot to me and I hope you will let me make it up to you – maybe over lunch this week; I will pay.
Warm regards,