And that's why we try to get to the airport early. Just in case. Have you had issues that could have made you late for check in?

[cakeorwine]

Nice week away, Flight was in the afternoon - an hour from the town to the airport. Spent morning pottering around and we left the luggage in a locker.

Got to the lockers to retrieve them. Put the coins in but no joy. Tried again. No joy. Slight panic rising - but there was a phone number to contact. Had to Google the country code but after 3 attempts got through. Someone arrived in 30 minutes and fixed it.

Luckily - I am one of those people who leave plenty of time to get to the airport just in case something happens! So this didn't affect us - but if we had been cutting it, then I think there would have been more stress.

Anyone else had similar issues - and did it cause an issue and stress, or are you the kind of person who leaves plenty of time

I have to be early to the airport, it’s the only day I ask dh to be prompt and not to stress me out,( he’d rock up just before gate closure) we usually arrive 2 and a half hours before we need to be there. Just in case.

@Simonjt have you ever complained afterwards about what seems like racism?

I'm an "always early" kind of person and family think I'm crazy and constantly whinge when sat at an airport an hour or two too early. But I insist we do it.

Sometimes it pays dividends. Like one holiday where I'd planned the "usual" to be at the airport four hours ahead of departure, time, with the usual laughter and sarcasm from my loving family!

Firstly, the traffic congestion was horrendous and we took over an hour to travel just one mile (Manchester M60, anyone nearby knows how bad it can randomly be for no obvious reason). We arrived at the airport car park, and instead of the shuttle bus arriving within 15 minutes (they should be 4 per hour), we were stood at the bus stop a full hour before one came. So we were two hours behind even before setting foot in the terminal. Then, of course, with it being Manchester, there was a horrendous queue right out into the check in hall for security, which we were stood in for another hour before we even got into the security hall (only one scanner working, all the others closed!). Then another hour waiting in the queue in the hall. We eventually only got through because we starting making a fuss with the staff about literally being minutes away from the departure gate closing and eventually they let us jump the queue (we were in the priority queue anyway after paying for it). We finally ran through the airport and got to the gate just as they were closing it.

That was with being 4 hours early! Needless to say, I use that experience to shut down my family whenever they whinge about setting off somewhere "too early"!

Once got stuck on the motorway on the way to the airport, which meant I was super stressed and running to catch my flight (which I made by the skin of my teeth)

Ever since I have been a 'get there several hours early' person. I'd much rather chill out in the airport

We are currently in Cape Verde.
Security is always a pain - we seem to get stopped every time and they spend 20 minutes going through our hand luggage.

It's a total pain but necessary I suppose - so we always try and get there early.

I wouldn't like that. The unnecessary stress. It's a poor service from the locker company isn't it? Bet you aren't the first to have that issue.

I always arrive at terminal early, but short staff at passport control, or short staffed at customs, one one land open, people standing at trays slowly rummaging through for liquids, I find irritating. They should have a slow and a fast lane!

Ah. Yes. Was at T5 with bags of time. Had lunch, pottered round Duty Free. Tried on a lively jumper in Ted that I decided to buy. Lovely chat at the till.

What time's your flight?
Me: oh not til 4:30
It's 4:15

Watch had stopped!!!!

Did you know there are tunnels behind the terminal only the crew use? Was whisked to the plane with a couple of crew from another flight.

Dropped into seat as the plane started pushing back.

Thank you BA frequent flyer. Thank you lovely stewards that popped champagne into my shaking hand.

Yes, once we got to the airport from the carpark that was a 15 min bus ride away and then realised we'd not taken the kids' booster seats out of the car; DH went to get a taxi to pick them up - and realised he hadn't got his wallet with him and we just had to decide all the spend would go through me and he'd transfer cash to me as at least he had his laptop with him! He got there and back in time for us to check in (just).

DH used to laugh at my insistence on getting to airport in plenty of time, but he's realised that if we don't he's the one who gets mega stressed going through security, to the gate etc - I also prefer it as I like to have 'pottering time' in departure lounge to get snacks/lunch/magazines without having to be in a rush.

Sister realised on the train to the airport that she had her husbands passport instead of hers. Luckily we'd got a train that gave us time to spare so we could call him and have him drive the 60 miles to meet us at the terminal. It was quite nail biting though.

Always get to the airport around 2 - 2.5 hours before our flight as we take check-in luggage . Generally gives us time to be relaxed about any long queues and hopefully to get something to eat and drink - but it's no biggie if we don't .

Our problems have been

The year DH deleted the email saying our flight had been moved forward by two hours so we arrived at the airport at the time our last flight of the day left the runway

The year DH lost his passport between security and passport control meaning we were unable to board and had to have our luggage unloaded from the plane

There was also a time many years back, before mobile phones which automatically change the time for you - and we spent the whole holiday on the wrong time! So arriving at the airport thinking we had time to spare, we had to run instead.

All occasions at Malaga and two involving expensive extra days' accommodation etc

another one who arrived at airport nice and early, went through security etc straight away, then had to run to the gate and were the last people on. 😫
Another occasion we very nearly missed a flight wasn't down to time management, but our ASD child decided they didn't want to go home at all. At the gate. As we were boarding. She ran off from the gate and we had crew chasing her around the gate area. The rear steps to plane had been taken away, and we grabbed her and carried her on the plane screaming and kicking. You've never seen people offer to move seats to "give us more room" so fast! I apologise if you were on the Glasgow to Bristol flight that day.

It depends on the airport for me. I travel long haul very frequently for work: some airports are lovely and I actually look forward to spending time enjoying the food, browsing, even getting a massage or manicure. Others are awful and I actively avoid spending more time than absolutely necessary in there.

Are you a celebrity? Gobsmacked that they would do this for a pleb. Incredible though!

I am known to be late everywhere I go - no matter what / where I will be late ... that is apart from the airport! lol

I am so paranoid about being late that I'm always very early and then chill in the airport and sleep on the plane

Once set off to the airport only to get caught up in traffic due to a huge accident, took nearly four hours to do what is usually a one hour trip. Fortunately it was the night before our flight and we were off to the airport hotel. Hate to think if we’d been actually flying that day. Always go the night before now, so no worrying about similar delays. I don’t worry about the return trip, as long as I’m in the hotel reception at the prescribed time for the bus it’s the tour operators problem.

We had an evening flight back, went with bags to a beach club place, nice relaxing day and then realised I'd left passports in hotel safe! Mad dash back to hotel who couldn't contact the current occupiers of the room to get access. STRESS!!! Made it in the end but not quite the chilled day I'd imagined!

DH travels frequently for work, often with handluggage only and still is the opinion it's better to wait than be late.

We used to live about 30 mins from Gatwick so were always fairly relaxed about timings until the time when we left home in the early hours and every single road we tried to go down to get onto the M25 was shut for roadworks. We had to go so far round the houses that I was hyperventilating by the time we got there. Since then I've insisted we stay at an airport hotel the night before. We do the same if we're cruising from Southampton.

In Lisbon a few years ago, getting the service bus to the airport from the corner near our accommodation. Waited, waited, waited. Other people joined the queue. 45 minutes, no bus. Getting a bit panicky. Local lady came across and let us know there'd be no buses because the Lisbon marathon was happening. No notices, no nothing.

Quick trip to the metro - Sunday service, no ticket office open, card machines all stuffed. So, we hiked around for ages looking for a taxi (all re-routed due to aforementioned marathon) and arrived at the departure gate as the last people boarded.

We live in Glasgow but were flying from Leeds (so much cheaper).

Had a blowout in the motorway. Called the AA who were going to be hours.

Thankfully DH had had that particular wheel off very recently. And managed to change the tyre relatively quickly.

Still arrived at the airport 2 hours before the flight but imagine if we haven't left that extra time and the wheel has been seized on and we'd had to wait for the AA.

I am always really organised but I don’t love travelling or airports so will get there as late as possible to get through smoothly. Two hours before flying is more than enough.