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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

Ridiculous check-in time?

26 replies

MarthaChuzzlewhit · 05/09/2022 16:28

My flight from Bristol to Edinburgh is 1 hour 15 minutes in duration and I just got a notification from EasyJet that I should check in 2.5 hours before the departure time.
That's ridiculous, right?
It departs around 7:30am on a weekday.
I won't be checking any luggage in either.

OP posts:
JubileeTissues · 05/09/2022 16:30

You've still to go through security. What time were you planning on getting there?

arethereanyleftatall · 05/09/2022 16:31

What difference would the length of flight make to how long it takes you to get through the airport?

brookstar · 05/09/2022 16:32

It's pretty standard at the moment tbh

Security can be a nightmare.

emmathedilemma · 05/09/2022 16:33

You can check something like a month in advance online then you just have to go through security. It can be busy, particularly for morning flights but personally I would only arrive at the airport 90minutes before that flight.

NCHammer2022 · 05/09/2022 16:34

Try to find out how Bristol airport is doing in terms of queues etc. I’ve flown through Newcastle twice this summer holidays and it’s been 10 minutes to get through check in and security, but friends flying from other airports did take a lot longer.

DrDreReturns · 05/09/2022 16:35

I flew from Birmingham last month and it took an hour to get through security. I'd leave plenty of time.

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 05/09/2022 16:35

2hra before flight is standard, 2.5hra due to all the delays atm is to be expexted surely? What does length of your flight have to do with anything? Doesn't change getting through security etc

LBF2020 · 05/09/2022 16:37

It's easyJet's standard email at the moment. If you know the airport and know how busy/quiet it is likely to be I would go with that. Flying to Edinburgh from Gatwick I had the same email but got there around 1hr 45 mins before.

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 05/09/2022 16:49

That 2.5 hours will include checking in bags, so you can knock some time off if you can check in online and already have your boarding card.
It's really difficult to predict how long security will take as it can vary so much ( anywhere between 10 minutes and an hour at our local airport when we have flown over the last year).
In your situation, I'd get there 2 hours before. I'd much rather be there early and have a coffee or breakfast than be panicking if you hit a day with massive queues.
Usually they will pull you forward if there are long queues and your boarding time is approaching, but you can't rely on that these days it seems .

lljkk · 05/09/2022 16:49

If it's a tiny airport like Southend or Norwich then it's ridiculous timing, but I don't know Bristol. Never under-estimate how slow some people are at doing stuff like getting thru security. I imagine I'd aim for 2 hrs max (but like I said, I don't know Bristol, it seems about as busy as East Midlands from info online).

hairycabbage · 05/09/2022 16:57

I've flown from Bristol a few times in the last few weeks and never had to queue for more than a couple of minutes at security

GrandSlamFinalee · 05/09/2022 17:01

I won't be checking any luggage in either.

Then why would you go to the check-in desk at the airport? Ignore that email.

Hand luggage only, go straight through security. I’d allow 1.5 hours max on a weekday, outside of school holidays. You definitely can’t risk it by getting there 45 minutes before for domestic flights, like we used to. But there’s no way I’d turn up 2.5h before on hand luggage only, assuming I’ve packed my electronics and liquids properly (so no chance of being pulled to the side for extra check).

ThatWillBeAll · 05/09/2022 17:05

You will have already checked in won't you? Check in online so you won't need to check in when you get there.

The length of the flight has nothing to do with check in times.

Soontobe60 · 05/09/2022 17:07

By your logic if I were flying to Australia I’d have to check in 2 days beforehand!

swimlyn · 05/09/2022 17:31

I found this site recently. It might be useful to you, and others, in your travels.

www.flightstats.com/v2/airport-delays/europe

2bazookas · 05/09/2022 17:35

Hand luggage only, go straight through security.

IME its the handluggage and carry-on search that takes the time because there are STILL multiple chancers who carry all the stuff they've been told not to and argue bitterly when it's binned. Make-up bags particularly.

They're standing there in line ahead of me , grinding my gears.

Original poster
MarthaChuzzlewhit · 05/09/2022 18:02

Thanks all! I will check the stats for Bristol Airport and make sure there isn't anything prohibited in my hand luggage!. I have some friends that have flown from Bristol recently too so will ask around.

I know the length of the flight is not relevant really, but it seems wrong to me to have to more than double the "travel time" (and get to the airport for 5am!) for airport security!

OP posts:
Plump82 · 05/09/2022 18:04

We flew from Glasgow on Sunday there. Our flight was 07:55am and we had to queue for an hour before we even got to the security gates and then another 30 mins before security. They were pulling people from the queue's for flights that were boarding. It was too stressful for that time of morning.

Original poster
MarthaChuzzlewhit · 05/09/2022 18:06

Rats.

Our busiest time of day is first thing in the morning – lots of people like to take flights that leave between 6am and 7am, so they can make the most of their trips away. Outside of this period we’ve generally not seen long queues for check in and security.

The early morning period has always been busy during the warmer months – in 2019 we saw queues of around 30 minutes at security and up to 45 minutes at check in. But in recent weeks there’s been queue times longer than this on some days and that is what we’re focussed on improving.

OP posts:
Plump82 · 05/09/2022 18:06

GrandSlamFinalee · 05/09/2022 17:01

I won't be checking any luggage in either.

Then why would you go to the check-in desk at the airport? Ignore that email.

Hand luggage only, go straight through security. I’d allow 1.5 hours max on a weekday, outside of school holidays. You definitely can’t risk it by getting there 45 minutes before for domestic flights, like we used to. But there’s no way I’d turn up 2.5h before on hand luggage only, assuming I’ve packed my electronics and liquids properly (so no chance of being pulled to the side for extra check).

And to add, I had everything packed properly and they still made me take my sandals off after I'd gone through the scanner which had to go through the scanner separately and they swabbed my hand luggage also.

Original poster
MarthaChuzzlewhit · 05/09/2022 18:06

Plump82 · 05/09/2022 18:04

We flew from Glasgow on Sunday there. Our flight was 07:55am and we had to queue for an hour before we even got to the security gates and then another 30 mins before security. They were pulling people from the queue's for flights that were boarding. It was too stressful for that time of morning.

Nightmare.

OP posts:
Newgirls · 05/09/2022 18:09

All the airport stuff can take ages both ends.

we found it quicker to get the train than fly London to Edin. Prob not the case with you as further but maybe for others reading. I prefer the less faffing too.

Jumbojem · 05/09/2022 18:14

Sorry, I live near Bristol airport and between 6 and 8 am is most def the busiest time (I’m right under the flight path!). Especially for the EasyJet and Ryanair flights which all seem clustered together. At the height of the summer local press reported queues out the door at that time of the morning but I think it’s probably calmed a little now we’re past the holiday peak.

LittleFluffyCloudz · 05/09/2022 18:15

Manchester airport last week - took 2 hours purely for security. That didn't include walking to the gate etc.

lightisnotwhite · 05/09/2022 18:25

GrandSlamFinalee · 05/09/2022 17:01

I won't be checking any luggage in either.

Then why would you go to the check-in desk at the airport? Ignore that email.

Hand luggage only, go straight through security. I’d allow 1.5 hours max on a weekday, outside of school holidays. You definitely can’t risk it by getting there 45 minutes before for domestic flights, like we used to. But there’s no way I’d turn up 2.5h before on hand luggage only, assuming I’ve packed my electronics and liquids properly (so no chance of being pulled to the side for extra check).

Agree with this. It’s the same email I got going out of Gatwick peak summer holiday.