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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Getting to the airport

41 replies

Echobelly · 03/04/2018 19:51

We have a flight on Sunday morning, not super early, but early enough to have to have an early alarm (IMO). I say we should be there just over 2 hours before (c6.30) as it's still Easter hols and security might be a logjam. DH suggests getting there nearer 7. I personally prefer to have error time so if it's quick, you get about an hour to mooch, buy snacks and relax before heading for the gates. Plus I know DH is a total stress monster if the security queues are bad, and I'd rather have an hour in departure lounge than 30-40 mins of stressed out DH. I guess he just wants to motor through to the gates. What approach do you have to arriving at the airport - and is it different from you other half's?

OP posts:

Hairgician · 03/04/2018 20:48

Early. All day long. I like to be there as check in opens. I prefer to have time to chillax and have breskfast/lunch etc and flick through a magazine. I would hate to be rushing and panicking my way to gates.

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 03/04/2018 20:50

Early as possible then a bit earlier.
Get thru security then have breakfast airside

TellOutMySoul · 03/04/2018 20:51

So your flight is 8.45? 7.15 is fine. Stansted is small. What's the point of hanging around the airport?

ThePinkOcelot · 03/04/2018 20:51

Definitely go for early. I much prefer getting there and sitting relaxing knowing I’m there rather than going by the skin of your teeth and worrying about getting there. It’s just not worth the extra time in bed.

QueenieBuchanan · 03/04/2018 20:54

Stansted is a hellhole. That monorail is a total pain.

Go now and camp in departures to be sure

soulrider · 03/04/2018 20:57

Even if you get there early, no chance of relaxing before your flight if it's Ryanair. You won't know which gate it is and the waiting area seats are placed such that none are somewhere you can see the departures board. So you have to get up and check every 5 minutes and then when the gate is finally announced it will go straight to final call and you have to hot foot it to the other end of the airport.

Was a pleasant surprise at Luton last week when they announced the gate over the speaker system.

EnormousDormouse · 03/04/2018 20:57

Depends on the airport. My local one I once checked in at a counter 5 mins before it shut and was on the plane 20 mins layer. That was cutting it a bit fine even for me though - since then I've tried to be there 1.5 hours before for morning flights.
For later flights I arrive 3 hours early and make the most of the lounge (hic)

falcon5 · 03/04/2018 20:58

Stansted is a seriously painful airport. 2 hours. It takes a blinking age to get through

Original poster

Echobelly · 03/04/2018 21:00

He's coming round to it now he's thinking about it - I think his gut reaction is to leave it as late as he can reasonably manage. I'll remind him about the monorail as that could add time to getting to gate. The flight is at 8.45, but gates close at 8.15 and they are sometimes quite strict about it.

If it comes to it, he hardly needs reminding that my early starting saved our arses at Stansted once when we got to the terminal and realised we'd left the car seats in the car in the LT car park, so he took a taxi there and back to fetch them. (And, incidentally, when he got back, found he didn't have his wallet on him, so just as well we were going to Eastern Europe and staying at my parents' house so I could pay for things until he could transfer me some cash!)

OP posts:

soulrider · 03/04/2018 21:01

You have to take the stupid meandering path through the duty free shop now too.

Original poster

Echobelly · 03/04/2018 21:02

TellOutMySoul - the point of hanging round the airport is not having a raging, stressed husband all the way through security and having time to get magazines, books, snacks etc and then getting to the gate when you're good and ready. But I know that might just be me!

OP posts:

rabbitsandrhubarb · 03/04/2018 21:08

I fly from Stansted most weeks for work . Early morning is by far the busiest and most chaotic time. Even at non-peak times I aim to arrive at least 2 hours ahead of departure and that is travelling on my own, not having to factor in everyone else's needs for food/loo etc whilst passing through the airport. This also allows for unforeseen travel holdups on the way to the airport.

You could buy Fastrak security passes ahead of time, but even so leave plenty of time if you are checking in bags as well, as the bag drop queues can be long. Which car park are you using - if not using the Short Stay/Meet and Greet factor in extra time for the buses.

Far better to have plenty of time once through security to buy and eat breakfast than a last minute panicked run to the gates (which I have done with small children and it was a very stressful start to the holiday).

When travelling for holidays I have now training the whole family that it is far better to get there very early and have to wait around, rather than risk missing the flight.

Allthebestnamesareused · 03/04/2018 21:12

Also they have just had that fire on the monorail so that may be adding time to getting to gate etc.

Last time we went to Stansted we sailed through until about a mile away and then it took 30 minutes!!!

niceberg · 03/04/2018 21:46

Don't worry about the fire, it was a bus out front, not the monorail.

I agree with posters suggesting you definitely need 2 hours at that time.

Original poster

Echobelly · 03/04/2018 21:52

Thanks rabbitsandrhubarb - useful to hear from a regular traveller.

We more often go from Luton, which we're used to, and haven't been to Stansted for a while, so not sure of what current holdups are like.

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Maryann1975 · 03/04/2018 22:00

Go early and give yourselves extra time. Last time we flew, we were caught in a massive security queue, DDS bag got stopped for checking and that held us up massively. We needed to buy two different meals, a fast food meal to eat then and a sandwich meal deal for the next meal on the coach transfer when we got there. It was hideous the queues everywhere, having to leave dcs in queues while dh and I swapped about choosing sandwiches and taking dc to the toilets. Never again! We will be getting to the airport with hours to spare next time.

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