Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Arriving at airport 2 hours prior to check in opening

158 replies

phoenix1973 · 07/04/2018 14:10

My oh insists on this....in case we get a puncture and miss our flight.
I hate it. Theres no seats so we're paying costa to rent seats.
Aibu?

OP posts:
BubblesBuddy · 07/04/2018 14:28

We once arrived 2 hours before a flight from Gatwick to Antigua in the Easter holidays and could not get into the building! The baggage drop queue was huge. We were bumped off the flight and missed our connecting flight and the first night in our hotel. We did get £1000 compensation and club class flights there and back as compensation but I won’t leave it to the minimum time again, ever!

We now always do 3 hours before. We try and avoid Gatwick and do not need school holidays anymore. Stansted had problems recently. We just get a meal, shop at Heathrow or read a book. It’s not a great punishment to be early and often the queues for security can be long.
We just don’t take risks with our flights any more!

We had children with us on the Antigua flight and no one else agreed to be bumped off to allow us to have seats so we caught our connecting flight. They were offered £250 each to get a later flight and many were going to see relatives so a few hours wouldn’t have made much of s difference to them.

chickywoo · 07/04/2018 14:29

Lounges and shops are good idea but you can’t get to them until you’ve checked in! So if you are 2 hours prior to check in you are sitting on a bench with your cases for 2 hours! Or if your lucky there’s a Costa like op is!

tenterden · 07/04/2018 14:29

I love getting to the airport early, it's all part of the fun. Even when I am travelling for business I get there early. Blush

What time is your flight and what time does he want to get there?

The traffic between my home and nearest airport is prone to big delays and even closures so that probably plays a part in it.

maskingtape · 07/04/2018 14:31

Margaret - I usually get breakfast for half an hour or so and then I wander the shops. I can easily do that for a couple of hours. Then use airport wifi and check emails etc (usually stood up at the phone charging plugs). Sorted. Couple of loo stops, buy snacks and done!

Buxtonstill · 07/04/2018 14:31

Willowwept. I beg to differ. The first class lounge in Dubai has a wonderful al a carte restaurant.

19lottie82 · 07/04/2018 14:32

Ithought you HAD yo be there 2 hours before you fly

No, it’s just advised - check in shuts about 50 mins before the flight, that’s for long haul, not sure about domestic.

SoyDora · 07/04/2018 14:36

Maybe makes a different that we only live 10 mins from the airport we usually use. So very little chance of being held up on the way.
We cut it a bit fine last summer (arrived at 4am for a 5am flight with a 3 and a 1 year old!) but made the flight ok!

BIWI · 07/04/2018 14:37

As PP have pointed out, it's not just about check in, it's about getting through security, which can take a very long time.

Herja · 07/04/2018 14:38

Oh god. I always cut it fine. Last flight (last Tuesday) I was still in he security queue while they were calling the flight. It was vastly longer than I've ever seen it. I was already looking up tickets for the next flight before I could see security... I actually did catch it in the end, but with literally a minute to spare. I'm following your DHs lead next time.

expatinscotland · 07/04/2018 14:38

I'm with your DH. We fly long haul with BA via Glasgow so have to check in bags. Also DS has ASD. We get there super early to avoid stress. Heathrow now has special lanyards they issue to people with hidden disabilities and they are eligible for assistance so we'll definitely be using that! Edinburgh has ASD friendly check in where you're escorted through security and bypass all the shops. Hopefully Glasgow will follow suit. The kids have a treat of hot chocolate in Costa and get to buy a magazine and download a new game to keep them busy. We pre-board, too.

Birdsgottafly · 07/04/2018 14:42

"Well I thought you HAD yo be there 2 hours before you fly - you really don't. You have to be there before check in/luggage drop closes, if you need them. Otherwise before the boarding closes."

It depends on the Airport. Some do have a minimum on when you have to be at Security.

I always try to figure in up to 45 mins for a Car Crash. We always pre-book seats and travel long-haul on a package deal. Because otherwise you need to get there early, if the flight is oversold, it's going to be you that isn't flying on that flight.

Hillingdon · 07/04/2018 14:42

I like to get their in plenty of time but 2 hours before check in is mad!

Having said that we were once caught for an hour near Heathrow and was really panicking. I also many years ago mistimed the trains to Gatwick and we arrived 15 minutes before departure! The plane was delayed anyway and for some reason they kept the check in open, the best bit was being upgraded to Club Class because all economy seats had been taken. I wouldn’t risk that again.

I was literally about to have a nervous breakdown as it was a long haul trip.

MargaretCavendish · 07/04/2018 14:43

Fair enough, masking - I can't imagine spending two hours walking around airport shops (my idea of hell!) but we're all different!

oohyoudevilyou · 07/04/2018 14:44

My DH is like this: If we have a 10am flight and the airport is an hour away (including the time to park car and transfer to check in hall) he'll insist we leave at 5am. And prior to leaving the house he'll be standing in the hallway clicking his heels and rocking on the balls of his feet whilst saying "Right. Are we ready?" and clapping his hands together umpteen times from 4:30am. When we finally get in the car, we''ll make it to the end of the road before he returns to check the back/patio/garage doors are all locked (they will be: He'll have checked them 3 times previously!). Then we'll make it to the junction of the A road before we have to get out and check the passports/tickets/money etc in his rucksack (again, checked multiple times at home). Confused

It's just his anxiety, and if it's just a couple of times a year, I'd just go along with it, OP. Enjoy your lengthy sit in Costa, and have a great holiday!

WowLookAtYou · 07/04/2018 14:45

I've been driving for 38 years and have never had a puncture. Is there some reason that your dh thinks his tyres are at risk on the one day you're driving to an airport?

WowLookAtYou · 07/04/2018 14:46

Although, to be honest, if you were to get one on the way to the airport, you'd be fucked anyway, two hours ahead of bag-drop/check-in opening or not.

amusedbush · 07/04/2018 14:47

If we're flying in Europe we don't check bags so I check in online and aim to be at the airport around 60-90 minutes before we fly. Outwith Europe I aim for around two hours before. However we usually have to fly via London for longer flights so I think that counts as domestic?

Although we flew back from JFK airport last month and I was gobsmacked that we could walk right up to the BA desk. Whenever I've been there before, the queue has snaked around the barriers and we've waited at least 30 minutes to drop our bags.

noenergy · 07/04/2018 14:48

2 hours before flight sounds right but it also depends on the airport. 2 hours before check in is crazy. We missed a flight last year due to long queues at security at a small regional airport, nobody would let us go through ahead. It was worse than Gatwick on the return flight which had separate security for families with kids.

MongerTruffle · 07/04/2018 14:49

2 hours before check in opens is unnecessary.
I arrive 2 hours before departure if it's a domestic or European flight, and 3 hours before if it's a long haul flight.

GreyGardens88 · 07/04/2018 14:54

I consider myself a worrier I always aim to get to airport 2.5 hours before departure at the latest

Lulusmother · 07/04/2018 14:55

I'm with him. I'd be there sitting waiting in the departure lounge happy in the feeling I'm not stuck in traffic etc!

bigKiteFlying · 07/04/2018 14:56

I've done this pre DC but I was getting to airport on public transport - trains and connecting bus and at time it wasn't unknown for there to be long delays. I got upgraded a few times as checked in at front of queue.

IL who travel a lot and are super relaxed now get there hours early as they've enough stories of cutting it fine ove rthe years due to unexpected events and prefer less stress these days.

Hillingdon · 07/04/2018 14:57

Gatwick is just the pits and often gets itself in a real mess. Someone did recommend to me that you check in online as soon as you can rather than just turn up and that’s not big thing so I always do that. If I was really late I would speak to the check in people and I have seen others being moved to the front. I don’t mind - one day that might be me!

Where you really need to watch for delays is Security. Grumpy security officers and no one to explain if you are running late. I have seen before a really stressed family with a Mum in tears trying to get the attention of the security officers and I shouted out that there was a family in distress (not that it had anything to do with me) but they were literally ignoring her cries for assistance.

Apparently going through an airport is similar to being mugged in terms of stress levels - not sure I believe that but it’s horribly confusing at the big UK airports

Orangecake123 · 07/04/2018 14:59

I go early, sometimes more than this because being late triggers my anxiety.

Vitalogy · 07/04/2018 14:59

Go and spray some perfume.