Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Holidays
No bag to check in - how long before flight would you arrive?
lwaveit · 18/05/2022 16:13
Not checking in any bags so only need to go through security and to gate for flight. How long before flight would you arrive?
MissConductUS · 18/05/2022 16:15
It depends on the airport and what time you're flying. There can be very long queues to get through security. I'd get there at least two hours before departure.
emmathedilemma · 18/05/2022 16:15
depends which airport.....a big london one I'd probably allow 2 hours, a smaller regional one I go with 60-90 minutes. I only get out of bed 3 hours before flights from my local airport!
WhatATimeToBeAlive · 18/05/2022 16:19
We travelled with hand luggage a couple of weeks ago to a small regional airport and allowed 2 hours, but tbh we could have done just 1 hour. But then we had a leisurely lunch in the lounge!
MuthaHubbard · 18/05/2022 16:20
easyJet just emailed us to say 3hrs before is recommended so that's what we are aiming for - Manchester.
We flew on a Sunday last month and breezed through. This time its w Friday afternoon so keeping fingers crossed
CeeJay81 · 18/05/2022 16:26
If birmingham I'd go with at least 2.5 to 3 hours. We are flying on Tuesday and are allowing this long for security, it sounds like a nightmare.
lwaveit · 18/05/2022 16:27
Birmingham morning flight.
Was thinking two hours as I think the gate closes half hour before take off so would give 90 mins to get through security.
notacooldad · 18/05/2022 16:30
Depends in so many factors.
I've flown twice in recent weeks both times with cabin bag only.
First time I walked straight up to security counter and was through in seconds. The second time there was 15 people before me. ( I definitely counted!!) First time was a 3.00pm flight. 2nd time was a 10.00am flight. Both from Manchester
ConnectedToSandsview · 18/05/2022 16:34
Double check the requirement and that you can definitely go straight to security
Many airports aren’t allowing this any more if covid policies need to be verified by check in staff, to check that you’re vaccinated. And it may not even be Birmingham airport - the destination may not allow this and need that you’ve been to check in to be verified. Things are not necessarily the same as pre covid yet.
I know people who have been refused boarding for this. I’ve also traveled through 30+ different airports since the pandemic and have not been allowed to do this since Covid , even when the destination have no covid policies. Maybe there are in your specific departure airport / airline / destination scenario, but please please check it out officially with the airline and/or airport.
CeeJay81 · 18/05/2022 17:11
@lwaveit we have a morning flight, 8.05am on Tuesday from bham. I can i can update you next week with what security was like.
heyhi · 20/05/2022 08:36
CeeJay81 · 18/05/2022 17:11
@lwaveit we have a morning flight, 8.05am on Tuesday from bham. I can i can update you next week with what security was like.
Are you checking a bag in before your flight and how long before are you intending to get there?
Newgirls · 20/05/2022 08:44
If everyone gets there 3 hours before then of course the queues in airport will be massive. More people in the airport before they need to 🤦♀️
CeeJay81 · 20/05/2022 09:10
@lwaveit we are doing bag drop the day before. We are staying at the Ibis and intend leave at 5.20am. Gives us 2.5 hours to get through security. We might be lucky and have time for something to eat but I'll come prepared with snacks just in case.
wonderstuff · 20/05/2022 09:21
BA recommend 2 hours for short haul 3 hours for long haul.
We weren’t able to do olci recently as pulled for extra security and we were over 2 hours at BA check in at LGW, a few smug people have told me they had zero issues at LGW recently, think it’s all quite hit and miss at the moment. Staff shortages and Covid related checks would make me quite cautious and leaving plenty of time at the moment.
LedTasso · 20/05/2022 09:24
I did this recently. I'd say around 90 minutes, but get fast track security just in case. Otherwise 2 hours.
mumznetz · 23/05/2022 15:19
CeeJay81 · 20/05/2022 09:10
@lwaveit we are doing bag drop the day before. We are staying at the Ibis and intend leave at 5.20am. Gives us 2.5 hours to get through security. We might be lucky and have time for something to eat but I'll come prepared with snacks just in case.
Good luck for your flight tomorrow, what time are you planning to arrive?
theemmadilemma · 23/05/2022 15:21
Wow. I only give myself an hour to get through security before the gate closes. Never had it take that long and I fly fairly regularly Stanstead and EMA.
garlictwist · 24/05/2022 09:31
I flew from Leeds Bradford airport the other week (so a relatively small airport) without check in luggage. I still had to wait nearly 2 hours to queue for security and this was a random day not in the school holiday. So I would still leave plenty of time.
Worldgonecrazy · 24/05/2022 09:36
Flew from Heathrow. We were third in queue for security when they opened, but the queue behind us was very long.
no issues with covid passes or checks. This was done at the boarding gate for anyone who had not checked in at the airport so if your destination requires this just ensure that you have been checked before boarding. Even less of an issue now many places no longer require the checks.
If I was doing a flight at quiet times I would allow 90 minutes, for busy times a lot longer, but then I would prefer to chill out the other side of security.
TheChippendenSpook · 24/05/2022 09:54
garlictwist · 24/05/2022 09:31
I flew from Leeds Bradford airport the other week (so a relatively small airport) without check in luggage. I still had to wait nearly 2 hours to queue for security and this was a random day not in the school holiday. So I would still leave plenty of time.
Same here, it was so busy.
AntonHeck · 24/05/2022 10:32
Which airport?
On average I've found security usually takes between 15-30 min, plus 5-20 min getting to the gate. Some no frills airlines close the gate half an hour before the flight, so aim to arrive 90 min before the flight. At a pinch 75 min is probably also enough.
fussychica · 24/05/2022 20:29
I find it depends on the number of flights leaving with similar slots to yours. 6am-8am/9am is peak at many airports. We flew from Bristol, which has had a few major queue problems, a couple of weeks ago. Our flight was departing at 9.20 and there were only 3 flights leaving close to ours the majority of the morning flights having left earlier. We allowed 2 hrs without luggage, there were no queues and we just sailed through in minutes. Noticed baggage drop was also pretty quiet.
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