Budget airlines - how does it work?

[roisin]

OK, we're flying in a month's time (Easyjet), so I've just logged on and printed out boarding passes. It now says "You're checked in".

As we will have no hold luggage, do we have to go to the check-in desk at the airport?
Do we have to arrive 2 hrs early to go through security and so on? (As you always had to in the past?)
Or is 30 mins sufficient?

No you don't need to check in desk. I alway leave an hour to get through security and get to gate

You will have to go to the bag drop desk. Sometimes that can have a big queue as these airlines often make you check in online and fine you if you don't, so everyone will be in that queue. You should aim to be through security about 46 mins pre-flight so you can find gate in good time, if you can check on the airport website how many flights leave at similar times that may help you decide when to arrive.

Duh, on phone and could only see my own post while typing so ignore my waffling about bag drop!

Thank you. I hate being late for anything, and am usually ridiculously early. But this is a 7.20 am flight and I'm travelling with my 15 yr-old son; so I don't want to get up half an hour earlier than we need to!

Easyjet's boarding gate closes 30 minutes prior to flight departure so I would arrive at the airport around 90 minutes beforehand.

(If you did arrive there 30 minutes beforehand they will not let you board because the flight has closed).

From Easyjet's website:-

?Upon arrival at the airport, go to any available kiosk to check-in. Flights become available for check-in two hours before the scheduled departure time, and close 40 minutes before
?Use the simple touch-screens to identify your flight and retrieve your individual bookings (see example below)
?Use the screens to answer standard Department for Transport security questions
?The kiosk prints out boarding cards for all passengers in the booking
?If you have hand baggage only, simply proceed through security to the departure lounge
?If you have hold baggage, the kiosk will print out standard airline-industry baggage tags which you need to attach to your luggage (one per bag). This is very simple, as the instructions below illustrate. Take your bags to the conveniently-located 'bag drop' area where they will be reconciled with individual passengers. Then proceed through security to the departure lounge
?Passport and ID checks are undertaken at the departure gate

Thank you!