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UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

In a bit of a panic about Bristol airport

19 replies

Sewbean · 15/09/2019 08:57

We have been staying in Glastonbury and need to catch a flight from Bristol airport this afternoon. I have 2 kids with me but DH is leaving us to travel separately for work in Exeter tomorrow.

So I need to drive the hire car back, fill it with petrol (first I need to work out if it needs petrol or diesel but DH can help with that before he goes), find out where exactly to drop it off, park it without crashing into anything and get me, the kids and our bags to the terminal on time.
I never used to be this anxious, it's awful.

So, if you know Bristol airport, how easy is it to find the hire car drop off point and is there a petrol station nearby? Dh picked the car up so I wasn't there to see where he went.

I used to be capable of anything, I can't believe I'm making such a thing out of returning a hire car.

OP posts:
applespearsbears · 15/09/2019 09:03

This might help
www.bristolairport.co.uk/to-and-from-the-airport/car-hire

NannyR · 15/09/2019 09:06

A quick Google for petrol stations shows this page.

AnOojamaflip · 15/09/2019 09:10

Whichever car hire place it is, put that into your phone for driving. It'll get you there. (Do it now and you'll get an idea how long it'll take)

There'll be fuel stations on the way. Hire car nearly always have a label on which fuel (and lots of cars now the wrong fuels nosel won't fit)

You can park without crashing.

Car hire places are walking distance from the airport.

Give yourself more time than is needed. So much so that in reality you'll be sitting at the gate wondering why you are so early.

Original poster
Sewbean · 15/09/2019 09:20

Just reading your replies makes me realise how ridiculous I am being, I don't even know why. I can do this, it will be fine.

Next question - is there anything I can do with 2 kids at Bristol airport once I have successfully arrived way too early because I don't want to be late? I suspect not.

Or is there anywhere sort of nearby we can stop off and spend an hour? I think I will feel better once I am nearly there and have sorted out the petrol situation. And am close enough to not be worrying about major unforeseen traffic disasters.

OP posts:
AnOojamaflip · 15/09/2019 09:28

I don't think it's too much of an usual stress. There's something about travelling through a port that causes undue stress.

I think it's the number on unknowns inbetween leaving and actually getting on the plane or boat. Having other people you are responsible for adds to it.

There'll be a WH Smiths- reading, books, colouring books, comics etc. Don't think it's a bad thing in this situation to let them watch something on the phone/tablet with headphones. Use that arrived too early time to relax!

makingmiracles · 15/09/2019 09:37

YOUr most sensible route would be through wells, through cheddar and you come out in sidcot, there is a petrol station in cheddar and also one just as you leave cheddar and turn out onto the main rd towards Bristol, there’s also an esso in wells. BRistol airport is not massively big so shouldn’t be too hard to find the hire car drop off. Good luck!

mummTum · 15/09/2019 09:39

Leave plenty of time as Bristol can be busy and I remember the drop off taking a while when I did it once. Also - at least if I remember well - once you come off the motorway there aren’t any petrol stations near the airport so fill up en route.
I can understand you feeling anxious ; just leave loads of time.

makingmiracles · 15/09/2019 09:51

Op doesn’t need to use the motorway and the airport is outside Bristol, somtraffic shouldn’t be too horrendous. Much quicker to set sat nav/sat nav app to take you through cheddar, once on Bristol rd it’s one rd straight to airport. Taking the motorway would add another 30-40 mins to journey and is pointless as you’d have to drive down to Bridgwater first.

makingmiracles · 15/09/2019 09:59

See routes here

In a bit of a panic about Bristol airport
MozzchopsThirty · 15/09/2019 10:00

Bristol airport is lovely and easy to navigate
It's fairly small but the signage is excellent
The car hire place is on site and you can walk across to the terminal

I live in Cardiff but much prefer Bristol to travel from

puppymouse · 15/09/2019 10:03

I live about 15 mins away. I think nearest petrol station is Budgens about 10 mins south of the airport on A38 - BS40 5JG.

WelshMammaofaSlovak · 15/09/2019 10:05

Bristol Airport has nothing for kids and is just shops and cafes. However, if you head upstairs (where most of the gates are anyway) the bar right at the back serves really nice coffee in proper cups, not plastic single-use Iike all the places downstairs, and it tends to be a bit quieter so could they sit and colour or some such? There's a couple of shops downstairs where you could grab a kids comic or coloring stuff??? Also, at the top of the escalator there's a seating area where they can watch the runway. Sorry it's not much better - I don't understand why airports don't have soft play centers. Kids could work off their energy ready for the flight and I just think they'd be a goldmine with a captive market???

VanessaShanessaJenkins · 15/09/2019 10:06

Bristol airport is really small and really easy to navigate so don't panic. There is virtually nothing to do there though and it's not actually in Bristol so make sure you have entertainment.

SansaSnark · 15/09/2019 10:08

Unfortunately, there's nothing really near Bristol Airport that you could get to without a car. There are plenty of places to get food and some shops at the airport though, so you can probably find something to do whilst waiting for your flight.

Wandastartup · 15/09/2019 10:10

There is only 1car hire areaso really easy to find. ( memories of going into the wrong multi-storey in Rome.,,) It’s a really small regional airport so easy to find everything. Security can be a bit busy but nothing like Glasgow or Heathrow. The Mexican in departures is quite nice too. There is a roof terrace to watch the planes if that floats your boat!

Original poster
Sewbean · 15/09/2019 10:10

I'll be on the A38 I'm sure.

If it was just me I would be much less bothered, I would just get there really early and read a book. But there really is nothing for kids to do at airports. So I don't want to be too early, I would like to feel that we'd done something nice with our day and not just travelled. But I want to have plenty of time. I am overthinking I know

OP posts:
WoollyFoolly · 15/09/2019 10:17

I would drive to wells, fill up at Morrison's (cheapest in the area), wander down wells high street (there's a Works there, my kids can always find something entertaining there), have lunch at Fosso lounge (depending on your flight time).
Then drive from wells up to the airport via priddy and east/west Harptree. It's really not far, it won't matter that you've filled up slightly further away as you're not likely to use much petrol on the journey.
We live nearby and travel to see in-laws who are past the airport weekly.

Original poster
Sewbean · 18/09/2019 12:04

Just to let you all know that I did indeed manage to get me, the kids, the hire car and a full tank of petrol to Bristol airport on Sunday.

It's funny with hindsight the things you get in a panic about when there really is no need at all.

OP posts:
AnOojamaflip · 18/09/2019 16:43

Hindsight nearly always makes you feel daft about panicking!! Travelling just has that affect on you though doesn't it!

Good it went well for you

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