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?

Truth of the matter is it might be fine, might not be simply.

I've been in the queue for literally seconds in Bristol airport and have been stuck in it for 45 minutes - which depending on who you're flying with, leaves very little time before boarding.

I'm a very relaxed traveller but I don't risk it, all you need is someone who apparently flies weekly from this airport but has also never apparently heard of the 100ml limit and will not move their arse to let anyone past until he can take his revolting Oreo flavoured coke through a small hold up then everything gets a bit tighter

I fly from Bristol regularly and wouldn’t give myself less than 90 mins because of that snaking security queue during peak season. Also all the roadworks to get to the airport can slow things down a lot - even had to queue in traffic for the drop and go last time

Usually fly from Birmingham which is about 70 mins drive. Given we allow time to get stuck on the M6 or use slower/longer routes we're usually entering the terminal c3 hours ahead of departure time.

We then go through security and have 2:30 hours to kick our heels.

But that's for trips outside summer peak and when aircraft, at least in Jet 2, are not so intensively used that there's massive number of early departures with consequent security and baggage drop queues.

You should be OK with as little as 60 minutes hand baggage only but don't come crying to the media if the nasty airline denies boarding 'cos they've closed the gate smartly so as to push/start on time for a tight slot.

I’ve flown through Bristol and it’s a big enough airport that you could get caught up in big queues at security if it’s busy. There also might be a longish walk depending on your gate number. I really wouldn’t risk it. And I frequently fly from my local airport which IS small enough to risk it.

The way the world is at the moment, expect security to be at a high alert and therefore checking more than they possibly would at other times. Have a coffee at the gate thinking' I'm all done and I'll get on the plane nice and calm when they open the door'.

Last time we flew with easyJet the check in gate closed about 40/50 minutes before the flight was due to leave.
Depending on the flight time/how many flights due to leave around the same time the airport could be very busy for security and bag drop. Also how big is the airport ? Is the security and check in far away from the entrance ?
What about parking ? Sometimes checking your car into the parking can take a while too.
Arriving An hour before flight will not be enough time.

Well it might be.

Or it might not.

Is it really worth missing your flight, or at very least putting yourself though stress, for the sake of an hour? Do you have something really important to attend to in that one hour?

Yes get there asap because if anything goes wrong on the journey there you could miss your flight, or they could give away your seat

I don't really get gate closing times. The gate is just an area to sit in, and in most airports you can wander to and fro from the shops /restaurants etc assuming they are close enough, without scanning your ticket again.

With the flights we use regularly, we know which incoming plane we'll be flying out on, and we never go to the gate until it's pretty near. Your tickets aren't scanned until your board so staff don't know if you're at the gate anyway. We always allow time for traffic, security etc but I don't want to sit at a hot, crowded gate until absolutely necessary.

I’ve travelled to/from Bristol airport every year for the past decade and check-in has ranged from a 10-minute stroll to a panic-fuelled cattle shed (admittedly it was the start of May Bank Holiday).
Arriving from the South you go through some country lanes which you can’t rush, so add more to your journey time. And the car parks have shuttle bus to get to the airport.
So yes, 2 hours and then some…
I’ll find a recent MN thread and link to it.

No chance!

If push it to an hour and a half tops in your position.

Walking around even a small airport takes a fair amount of time. And gates close a fair time before the take off time - easyJet is 30mins before take off.

You still will need at least twenty minutes to get through security on a good day.

Then fifteen to twenty minutes walking around the airport from drop off to gate even in a small airport.

Anything less than an hour and a half is asking to miss your flight.

I regularly travel hang luggage from only and don't hand about through security.

For Bristol yes AT LEAST. Newcastle you're fine, Leeds maybe, Bristol no way. Bristol security can take forever, the furthest away gate (which I always seem to get) is about 10-15 minutes walk after that. Don't even bother trying to eat anything there it's a 40 minute wait. Not worth it, get through find your gate and chill with a coffee.

No. An hour to get through security and be at boarding before the gates close is way too risky. You might make it, but there’s a good chance you won’t.

Just get your butt there for the time advised and grab a coffee. Don't be one of these idiots who were on airport documentries abusing staff because of their shit time management.

Recent thread.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/holidays/5359765-bristol-airport?reply=145183243

I go too and from Bristol approx every other month, there is no chance an hour is enough.
Security is generally ok to get through quickly but only takes an anomoly in or outside the airport. Last time I went there was a ding on the roundabout outside and held me up atleast 20mins, got inside just as boarding was closing.
It's really not worth the risk or hassle for the sake of giving yourself another 60mins unless you have time and money to spare for another flight.

I live v close to the airport. It has taken us nearly as long with parking as it's taken to get to the airport on occasion.

Some times we've been through security in ten minutes flat. Other times it's been 40mins. (Keeping in mind here that they won't let you into security with your boarding card if you turn up too late). We've done fast track through security before and found if you get stuck behind a bunch of people whose bags get pulled it can still take longer than if you don't have a fast track. It's really hit and miss. And there's always the risk it's your bag they'll pull.

It can depend on how busy the airport is too. I've been in situations where it's very busy and even walking through the terminal can take a lot longer than you anticipate because there's a family walking four abreast with their trolley suitcases in your way or because it's just so busy.

It really is hit and miss throughout.

And that doesn't even take into account heavy traffic around an airport.

Aiming for an hour before really is playing with fire.

Had this argument discussion with someone here a few weeks back..

I get the confusion, at many airports the gates areas don't, and indeed physically can't be closed off and the reality is at many airlines the gate staff will accept people right up until doors close a couple of minutes before scheduled departure time...(STD), regardless of warnings printed on boarding passes.

However some airports do have gate lounges they can seal at STD minus whatever, or the real nasty, pre-board by swiping people through the jetty head scanners and holding them on the jetty itself..

So either situation might apply.

Quite a few people get caught out by that - flight may be delayed but checkin times and gate closure times remain the same

The problem with Bristol is the roads around it, and the security. I always tend to aim for 2.5 hours before the flight but this often is in reality 1 hour due to road closures or similar. Good luck!

I would aim for the two hours. Also, allow plenty time for travel - was once so held up getting from Cardiff to Bristol Airport that we would have missed our flight if it hadn't been massively delayed.

I fly out of Bristol every month and this time of year is very busy. I would recommend buying the fast track pass through security if time is tight. Security queues can vary depending on time of day but generally at this time of the year I make sure to be there around 2 hours beforehand just to be safe. They often open the gate 45-60 minutes before the flight departure time so I'd be nervous leaving too little time. I have had a near miss before when they had staffing issues and had no choice but to push my way through the queue which was so awkward.

I am chronically disorganised and always cutting it fine, but recently I've started to work out that actually doing everything in the way that takes the least amount of time but leaves absolutely no leeway for problems is not worth it in terms of the heightened cortisol flowing through my body. So now my aim is to avoid stress, and I try to be kind to my body by avoiding extremely stressful situations caused by poor planning. I've reframed it as an act of self-care.

In your situation, I would show myself "self-care" by trying to leave plenty of time and planning a relaxing pre-holiday coffee or meal somewhere. Rather than setting myself up to start my holiday filled with stress hormones.

We go on holiday next Monday and I've already packed the bags. Everyone will just have to make do with the dregs of their wardrobes until then. Normally I stay up half the night before the holiday desperately packing everything including the kitchen sink, but this year I've booked myself a massage and a hair cut the day before.

Yes. Often really busy and as the first poster said, some gates can close 30-45 mins before takeoff.