Airport arrival time

[LG123]

I'm flying a lot this year... I usually get to the aiport 45mins-1hr before if travelling solo 2-3hrs with the kids. I hate sitting around an airport for hours, I use fast track security too.

What time do you all get to the airport for domestic and short haul? My riskiest was 25mins before a flight with BA from London to Glasgow!

Always at least 3 hours before, but that’s because Gatwick has been chaotic in the recent years whenever I’ve flown from there. I use the lounges though, so it’s no hardship to be early.

@LondonPapa

With British Airways, a Premier member can have the flight delayed so they make it. Not by long but it is an unwritten perk as you're personally escorted to the airplane so if there is a delay, it is mangable

Interesting, never saw that done or even mentioned in my time there so it must be exceeding rare…everyday is a school day etc.

As for it being manageable, these days, especially out of places like Heathrow the crew are dealing with preordained, metered start up times, in addition to the old style runway (ATC) slots. Miss either and you can end up with lengthy, expensive delays so I think there’s probably a decreased appetite for holding flights for one or two passengers, regardless of status.

I remember one horrendous time when lots of us from work took domestic flights to LHR, then a long haul to a conference locations (British Airways). My flight was from Manchester, and was 1hr 45 mins delayed. My 'layover' at LHR was 2hrs 30min. By the time we got a new landing slot we landed in the domestic terminal and I disembarked the flight 25 mins before my long haul international flights gate closed.

I thankfully didn't need to recheck my bag but I had to change terminals and go through security again between the domestic and international terminals. And because it was for work I had electronics etc that needed taking out and screening separately. I sprinted, begged and borrowed people to jump the queue, literally made it on final call as a stressed out sweaty mess worrying I'd left or dropped something along the way, bag still haphazardly half repacked from security. It was a hell I wish never to repeat. Met up with colleagues, got to location and lo and behold computer system errors and no bags! Some had been left in LHR, some had gone wrong places, some right. Mine had been left in Manchester and arrived on day 3 of the 4 day trip. Colleagues bags were in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Paris and UAE 😅 only 2 actually had them on the right flight.

I always have a set of nightclothes, 2 changes of underwear and an outfit in my hand luggage (and a bikini if beach holiday) in case so I was OK. One guy we landed really late at night at the destination, didn't have so much as a clean pair of underwear, and we were supposed to be in a meeting by 7am next morning. Brutal.