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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Ever turned to airport and bought ticket?

41 replies

MountainGoat111 · 01/09/2018 18:23

Just that really. Today chatting with DH I said I would love to one time just go to an airport with passport and clothes for a few days and buy whichever ticket was available and fancied.

DH went on about how you cannot do that ... anyway, I thought if I had the time and money, wouldn’t it be great to be spontaneous like that at least once in your life.
Have you ever done it?

OP posts:
Bombardier25966 · 01/09/2018 18:27

No. The cost would be extortionate and you'd have no idea what to pack or how long for.

BeachyUmbrella · 01/09/2018 18:35

You can, but you'd have to have a rough idea of which terminal to go to and which airline desk you approached!

missnevermind · 01/09/2018 18:55

I have bought a plane ticket while sat in the taxi on the way to the airport. But I knew where I needed to fly to and it was an emergency. The cost was extortionate over 100x what I would normally pay.
It is not something I would do out of choice.
But I am old enough to remember and miss bucket shops and stand by plane tickets.

frenchfancy · 01/09/2018 18:59

Yes. When my DDad was dying and I needed to get there ASAP. I just turned up to the airport and bought a ticket I had to take a connecting flight but the desk at the airport sorted it all out for me.

BarryTheKestrel · 01/09/2018 19:01

A friend works for an airline and they can sign up for standby flights, so you turn up to the airport on the day and are given the option to fill any empty seats on any flight from that airline that day with staff discount. Problem is getting back again as you don't have a return flight!

JellySlice · 01/09/2018 19:03

You could probably do that through a travel agent, the old-fashioned high street sort, desperate to off-load their last remaining slots for something-or-other.

Every travel insurance I've had has always specified that the first night's accommodation be known and confirmed before travel begins, otherwise the insurance would be invalid.

LemonysSnicket · 01/09/2018 19:12

Many places need a visa... so really you'd only be going to Europe.

ladyloopy · 01/09/2018 19:14

Leave it to Mumsnet to utterly piss on someone's bonfire. 😂

BusterGonad · 01/09/2018 19:22

I've bought a ticket via phone, from an airport pub as I missed my flight. Had to wait 3 hours but drowned my sorrows with a pint. Cost about £100 more per ticket.

MongerTruffle · 01/09/2018 19:26

Many places need a visa... so really you'd only be going to Europe.
British citizens have visa-free or visa on arrival access to 186 countries.

OliviaBenson · 01/09/2018 19:27

Id love to do this! I'd just go to the BA desk and find out what they had. Such an adventure!

HeronLanyon · 01/09/2018 19:35

I did this but as on only as a relative was dying on a different continent and I was away myself on holiday. 3 flights later I made it. Would love to do it for fun one day I agree 100 %.

Winterwoman007 · 01/09/2018 19:39

I was looking at a departure board the other da day at an airport and just loving the potential

SharpLily · 01/09/2018 19:41

I have. I was in Bombay, not sure where to go next, so I turned up to the airport and asked for a ticket on the next flight, within a budget limit. I ended up back in fucking England...

redsummershoes · 01/09/2018 19:42

I did when younger and single.
just turn up at the last minute desk, say you want a week in the sun and off you go.
been to crete, spain, italy.
all good hotels, half board.

PestoSurfissimos · 01/09/2018 19:44

Yes, I often used to fly standby to & from the West Country.

DunesOfSand · 01/09/2018 19:44

I'd love to, but not from here. My local airport typical destination isn't really holiday destinations (im not in the uk - infact there isnt a flight direct to the uk from here Sad ).
I have sat on the Ryanair website, many years ago, and a friend and I chose our holiday from the list of £1flights, narrowed by departure airport. Had a fab time in Italy a couple of months later.

redsummershoes · 01/09/2018 19:47

when I lived in the us they had a company called airfare hotline.
you could call up on a friday afternoon saying you had 150 quid and wanted return flights friday/sunday
kansas city is boring btw

Kewqueue · 01/09/2018 19:48

I've done this at a station not an airport. My nearest station has lots of international destinations.

purplecorkheart · 01/09/2018 19:49

Years ago when I was 18. There was a holiday firm that rented a desk in the nearby small airport. The firm used to sell all inclusive packages to Spain, Portugal, and Greece. We turned up with 200 punts each and had a fab holiday in a four star hotel (slight outside the main resorts). I am not sure if it still happens.

mintich · 01/09/2018 19:50

I did! Only to Dublin though

BonnieF · 01/09/2018 19:56

Yes, absolutely you can.

Just show up at the BA ticket desk in LHR T5 departures with your passport & credit card in your hand and ask to buy a ticket for the next available flight to wherever you want to go. The nice ticket agent will be only too happy to make your booking. You will probably have to pay the full published fare for the cabin you want to travel in, though.

You can definitely travel to any EU destination like this, and many other places which offer visa-free travel to U.K. citizens. You can travel to the US as long as you have an ESTA. For other destinations, eg Russia, you would need to be on possession of a valid visa.

bevelino · 01/09/2018 19:57

I did that when I missed my flight and it was £300 one way to Madrid!

spinabifidamom · 01/09/2018 20:00

No. We are flying out on Monday morning and I found tickets online at a great price. I deliberately scout out deals on air travel to save money and time too. I always love flying out of season as prices are lower.

Plus more decent seats. We actually avoid summer flights as much as possible. My partner works for a airline selling tickets.

xyzandabc · 01/09/2018 20:00

Not an airport but have done it on a train. Having spent a week visiting friends in Milan, we found ourselves with a few days to kill before our flight home. So DH, our friend and I went to the train station and got tickets for the next train out. We ended up spending a lovely few days in Innsbruck.