To think I can do all of this in one day? (In London)

[chatenoire]

I land in Gatwick at 845, then take the train to London bridge station and drop my bag there and then continue my way to trinity square to have a haircut at 10. At 12 I have a meeting at Southwark bridge. Meeting ends at 2 and then there's another meeting at the Shard at 2:30. Then leave just before 5 and catch the train back to Gatwick to take my flight back, which departs at 6:45.

I can stay overnight (as I think catching that flight back might be a bit too risky). I wouldn't have anything with me beyond my handbag with my laptop.

Not the night before as there are ways I can make it to the first meeting (12) without having to sleep overnight. However they will pay for a hotel the following night.

We're buying lunch for the 12oclock (for those who are wondering about it!)

Quite.

Dear OP,

the flight that “lands” at 845 will taxi till 9:15, you’ll be 940 by the time you arrive at immigrations and 10 by the time you leave the baggage hall if you’re rather lucky.

do you not travel much? How else would you be naive enough to book that haircut at 10?

If you manage to do all that in a day you are a better woman than me OP.

Even IF i made it to the final hurdle i know i would not make that evening flight.
Please update - I'm intrigued to know how it pans out...

op: Aibu?
everyone: yes!
op: <fingers in ears>

I second the request for a go pro and live feed.

I actually land at 820. No immigration, no baggage hall.

I was able to make it to Heathrow last year via Gatwick on the same flight and everyone told me it was bonkers. I was even early at Heathrow!

My experience with Bristol, Edinburgh, and Manchester this year (although I know all three are smaller than Gatwick) is that I was out on my way to the city within 20mins of landing

I reckon you’d get out quickly. I did several flights last year at Gatwick with no bags. If you rush you can get out of the airport within 20 mins

Up to you OP, but surely it makes more sense to go for late appointment with hairdresser and come back the same day.
With these very important business deals you don't want to be the person rushing in breathlessly late with suspiciously shiny hair.

OTOH I suspect we are very different personality types, so if you want the day to be some sort of Challenge Anneka - haircut yay, business deal one yay, lunch yay, business deal two yay, overly close time to get to flight yay - then go for it.

I once drove back from a work thing with two people who thought it was really exciting to see how low the petrol could go before they refuelled. This reminds me of it.

No way! Trains, planes etc run late and what you planned sounds exhausting...you won't make the hair cut

Sorry i meant come back next day.

If I was having an expensive hair cut with a new stylist I would want time to enjoy it.
If I had 2 meetings which is worth 7 figures I would want to be able to take my time to ensure I bag it, if I was the other person in the meeting I would not want to feel rushed ( and distracted by your nice hair)
Also I wouldn't want to be stressed to run to such a tight schedule.

No way you’ll make that hair appointment.

👋 you're just up/down the road from me.

I would totally do that, in fact that's the most sensible option, but she doesn't work Fridays! I've thought of getting there early the previous day, go to the salon, have my whole hair done (cut and dye job) ... But then I would end being away from home for an extra day, but then I definitely have to take a bigger bag, pay for an extra hotel night, etc ..

8.45 Gatwick to 10am haircut:
15 min off plane, 1 hour travel time to bag drop (if you have your ticket in advance, 10 min wait, 40 min train, 10 min to bag drop), 15 min to Trinity square. You're 15 min late in the best case scenario without an airport or train delay.

10-12 haircut and on to Southwark Bridge:
Most stylists expect 2 hours; you are 15 min late, 5 min checking in, need to leave 25 min before 12 to travel, sort make-up (water gets on it during hair appt), check in before your meeting. You have 1 hour 15 in absolute best case. It's your money to waste, but I wouldn't bother adding the stress, just go to London the day before and fit it in then.

12-2 lunch meeting and on to Shard for 2.30:
It's unusual for a 12-2 lunch meeting to finish rigorously on time, most people would allow a lag of at least 20 min. You'll also need a wee at some point!! You'll have to get a taxi to the shard, but it's uncomfortably tight if both clients are important enough for timeliness to matter.

2.30 to just before 5 meeting and back to Gatwick 6.45:
You're allowing 1h 50 for a 1 hour 5 min journey without delays (wait for lifts 5, to bag drop 5, wait for train 10, train 40, walk to check-in 5). Depending on airline you have most likely already missed the check-in. BA won't let you through at under 60 min. London city would let you in at even 20 min before the flight, but not Gatwick.

Ditch the haircut, don't bother with bag drop just carry less, change flight or meeting times a bit, then you'll be fine. Or get hotels each end and change the hairdresser time.

Just seen you said Aer Lingus. Check-in closes 45 min before departure: www.aerlingus.com/mob/information/airport-information/london-gatwick-airport/index.html#:~:text=Check%2DIn%20Time&text=Check%2Din%20for%20all%20flights%20closes%2045%20minutes%20prior%20to%20departure.. If you arrive with a minute to spare and their system clock differs by a minute, you're still going to miss the plane. It's way too tight.

I went there many times when it was an insurance firm - no sign of a hairdresser then!

I actually realised that my plan lands at 8:20 . Have also decided against dropping the bag, so straight from Gatwick to trinity Square. I know Google Maps maybe it's NOT the most reliable tool, but it gives a decent guidance. So according to it, I have around 45mins from landing to catch the train, which considering I'll be having no checked in bags, seems doable.

Somebody will be meeting our client at the Shard before we get there. We're a team of 4 moving from meeting A to meeting B, no way to change that one!

So far I've come to the conclusion that I either:

a) take the night train (if there's a berth available), and keep my hair appointment. Get there early, maybe they can wash my hair first.

b) fly into Gatwick, but not book the hair cut, and see if I can get there by 10. If they accept my walk-in, great, if not oh well.

c) I'm pondering about taking the train back at 6 BUT it's the last train and if something goes wrong I'm stranded in London.

I know option c is independent of a&b

Nope, I'm flying with Eastern (some other poster used aer Lingus as an example).

If you get your haircut in the morning, won’t you be walking around with bits of cut hair on your clothes all day? Doesn’t seem to matter how well covered I am by a gown during a haircut, there’s always some stray bits that get away. So possibly not a great look at a meeting.

I have absolutely no advice but I’m now totally obsessed with this thread and will be needing a live feed throughout the day plus before and after pictures of the haircut plus updates on the fantastic seven figure deals and what meals you eat (as if you’ll have time to eat ha ha). Thanks OP.

Why don’t you stay overnight the day after and squeeze in a cut as early as possible the next day before you return?

Yes, am over invested 😀

Sorry - stay overnight after your meetings and hair cut the next day, I meant

Ok. Well it's still 45 min then: https://www.easternairways.com/en-gb/information/travel-information/faqs/#:~:text=Check%2Din%20opens%2090%20minutes,departure%20and%20closes%201%20hour.

What time train out
Of Gatwick?

Anything before 9:30 os optimistic

The train is 30 minutes to LB

So no. You wont make the haircut

If there are 4 of you why would you not just drive up together the night before and stay in a hotel? There’s only one place Eastern flies into Gatwick from, and it’s a 6 hr drive. Would be much less stressful.