Not to be at the airport 2 hours before my flight

[Iambouddicca]

Flying to Europe from Bristol. Do I really need 2 hours - travelling light with just an underseat bag on easyJet… just a single traveller too.

I’ve not flown much recently ( and not since Brexit/covid) so I’ve not got a feel for this. Is an hour enough - honestly?

Gawd I'm reading this after we booked to go from Bristol in October and I have airport anxiety anyway! From what I remember living around those parts 20 odd years ago - the A38 has always been the ultimate random factor in that one crash, or a couple of tractors and you're fooked.

We usually have the battle of me with "being early for everything uber anxiety" vs DH from a family of ridiculously frequent flies who pride themselves on turning up to the airport as late as possible to start a holiday with.

And then DH goes into airport dad speed run mode leaving me with the kids struggling with their luggage as he zooms off into the dust.

Think I'll need a holiday to get over the holiday.

No an hour isn’t enough - you don’t know what the security queues will be like regardless of size/location of airport….. just take another hour out of your life fgs!

Ultimately flights are cheap because of lower service levels. So the security queue could be long, seats are small etc. If you want a speedy service you pay £££.

You could do this at Norwich airport. Much longer and security wouldn’t be open yet!

Oh, don't get me wrong, the PA announcement was perfectly professional - it just felt very pointed in the moment 😅

Although DH and I agreed that having to wait for the original departure slot was oddly vindicating. After everyone watched us shuffle to our seats and then three(!) separate PA announcements about how early they had completed boarding, having to wait for ages highlighted that we weren't actually late 😂

I fly a lot. One hour gives you no margin for error at all. Unwise, I'd say....

Just arrive two hours before and work/read/drink/whatever

Same here. Flew to Toulouse from Bristol with Ryanair 3 weeks ago. We were there 2 hours before and still had to run to the gate (gates close 30 mins before take-off). Security took forever and it's a long walk to the gates. We were hoping to grab some breakfast but had to forget that idea and grabbed a sandwich for the flight.

Don't risk it would be my advice.

2 hours minimum. Sometimes the security queues can take up to 45 mins, depending on the time of day. Better to chill out in the departures lounge than be stressed that you’ll miss your flight.

This^^

No, the gate is the final bit after you've already done all that bit. Once the gate is closed, if you aren't in the queue then you aren't getting on the plane

I just flew out of Gatwick at 6:15 am and got there at 4:50am. I know the routine like the back of my hand, had done online check in and knew exactly where security was, but there wasn’t much spare time. I’d get there at least 1.5 hours before if I were you.

It wasn’t the cat food man at Manchester was it?!

I don't know why you'd put yourself under this stress and pressure.
Get there in good time. Have a coffee and mumsnet for a bit.

In the past, travelling with Ryanair and Easyjet, I'd be there three hours early. There was a rumour that if you were there early you wouldn't get bounced off the flight if they were over-booked.

After everyone watched us shuffle to our seats and then three(!) separate PA announcements about how early they had completed boarding, having to wait for ages highlighted that we weren't actually late 😂

Always worth a shot at a slot improvement if you can get everybody on early, and certainly no ones fault here that it didn't work.out....

Problem is people are often quick to blame the airline, any airline for...well just about anything such as maybe a perception of being late, so I can understand the reason for several PAs...but yes it gets a bit painful if you understood the situation the first tome.

Hahahaha @BashfulClam…..and please tell me which credit card is this?

It’s an Amex gold. We get points back so got a hotel free last year and 4 lounge visits. We are debating keeping it as there is an annual fee and last year was free…

You might make it through in plenty of time, you might not. Sometimes struggled with 2 hours at Manchester.

Depends on the flight time as 6am-8am flights are usually busy at Bristol but later in the day more manageable. Bristol airport has extremely efficient security. Fairly sure I timed it as 6 minutes last time (May). You don't need 2 hours if hand luggage only but to be safe be there 30 mins before the gate closes. That gives time for security, loo, refilling water bottle etc. Don't get distracted by the duty free!

I really wouldn't... The queues can be dreadful.

Last time I flew there was major building work at airport. Caused loads of lateness.

No, when you get to the airport you (usually) check-in and get a boarding card and hand over any bags to be checked-in. Your boarding card will have a gate number and, quite often, the time that the gate closes. The gate is basically the "door" through which you walk to step out of the airport building and onto the plane.

After checking in you go through security to have your hand luggage checked.

I flew recently and boarding at the gate started 50 minutes prior to departure and everyone was boarded and sat down and the plane doors shut by about 25 minutes before departure. At some point between 50 minutes and 25 minutes they will have shut the gate - or closed the door if that helps - and you can't get on the plane after that.

So to arrive at the airport an hour before your flight time means you are effectively arriving 30 mins before the gate closes and if it takes 10 mins to get to the right gate number, then you are actually only allowing 20 mins to check in and get through security.

In the UK most of us check on line and print the boarding pass or save it on our phone.

Without checked baggage you then go through security to 'airside' where there's Duty Free and bars/cafes etc.

Days of gate number on boarding pass long gone; you need to watch the screens.

@Bromptotoo am in the UK and I flew out and back in again earlier this month hand luggage-only. I checked-in on line and printed my boarding pass prior to arrival at the airport at both ends, but each time I still had to exchange my printed copy of the boarding pass for their version on arrival - and there was a gate number printed on it.

I had a very nice breakfast "airside" and checked my app for flight updates, delays etc.

If folks are going to post detailed discriptions of airport processes including timings they need to mention airport/airline they are referring to because there are massive differences, even within the UK.

The major carriers (well most of them) out of places like Heathrow rely heavily on business and connecting traffic. They are not going to close gates and aircraft doors until almost literally the last minute.

The LoCos have different priorities, mainly around punctuality/ aircraft utilisation, for them it maybe makes more sense to have a more regimented system with big time.buffers and less catering for customer flexibility.

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1h 15 minimum just incase however even if u got there 45 mins before your flight you can still make it if security isn’t busy !