quick Q about arriving at airports.....how long before flight?

[norkmaiden]

For a flight to Italy....how long do you need to arrive in advance?? Will probably check-in online (with BA), so hope to save time that way.

Any ideas??

TIA!

regional airport probably 1.5 - 2 hours. Major airport 2 hours plus (phone first)

you can check in online? Doesn't that defeat the object a bit? What about luggage etc?

what does it say on your ticket?

thanks, Kerry. Thought 2 was about right, though hoping to get away with less...

Better not risk it I guess.

Minimum of 2 hours

It'll be Gatwick, though I haven't actually booked yet, Belgo (it's in a few months). I might manage with just hand luggage with some crafty packing, which would speed things up I guess. And yes online check-in is the new-fangled way to do things, apparently.

Thanks ladies for the help!

It's not usually 2 hours for regional airports - I arrived about 1.5 hrs prior at both Southampton and Nice airports recently and no problemo

Gatwick - would deffo get there 2.5 hours before

at Kerry!

I've been before, but can't remember a thing about the place though I know we took the train there

Went out through Heathrow a couple of weeks ago - ABSOLUTE nightmare - queues out the door and no one seemed to know where they began and ended. More confusingly, it seems you have to check in electronically first using a couple of machines provided and THEN join the queue to dump your baggage. (So good idea to check in online first). We lucked out because we were pulled out and helped as we were travelling with two wee ones. But we were still traumatised by the experience. I hear Gatwick is generally better than Heathrow.

We arrived 3 hours before a flight to the US from Heathrow. With everything pre-registered beforehand, and being compliant with security, we were airside 2.5 hours before our flight. They called the flight about an hour beforehand, so we sat in a restaurant (Chez Gerard) for 1.5 hours. It was very civilised.