 Poster: A snowHead
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My flight got bumped back from a civilised 10:40 on a Saturday to 06:20 . I've never had to fly this early and am trying to work out how insanely early I will have to get up in order to get to Gatwick in time.
Train times work out so that if I get up at 3am I can get there at 04:45 . Is that early enough for check-in/security queues, or is Gatwick busy even at that ungodly hour in ski season on a Saturday morning? To get there significantly earlier I would have to set off at 2am 
Sorry this isn't a snow-related question per se, but I thought that if anybody would know it would be you guys...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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sounds fine to me!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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...plenty of time
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I always allow enough time in the eventuality of a train cancellation or missing the train - what time does the next train get in? But then I do hate being later for anything!
You could always consider staying in a cheap B&B close to the airport .....
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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If you get there any earlier there won't even be anyone at the check-in desk, your arrival time is fine.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Unless you particularly enjoy being stressed out that sounds like very tight timing to me, but then what do I know, I only fly about 50 times a year.
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Two Ears Laybelle, depends on your airline and whether you're taking a ski/snowboard bag. 04:45 - i assume this is the arrival time of the gatwick express? if you're doing an online check-in and only have to bag-drop, then getting to the airport for 04:45 should be fine. if you're doing airport check-in and/or skibag, it's worth considering getting there earlier. hope this helps!
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why is it tight timing?
check in desks shut about 30 mins before flight. if you get there 1hr 35 mins before that gives over an hour to check in...plenty of time.
anyway once you have checked in they will make sure you get on the flight as otherwise they have to remove your baggage etc from the plane....takes ages and is a real hasssle for the airline as it delays the flight.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Two Ears Laybelle, might be worth seeing if you can check in the day before
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| Yoda wrote: |
| Unless you particularly enjoy being stressed out that sounds like very tight timing to me, but then what do I know, I only fly about 50 times a year. |
I'm with Yoda on this! Although I have a 6am flight in 2 weeks' time that I'm still wondering how and what ungodly time I'm going to be there 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Few airlines close the desk 30 mins before departure (BMI does I think, but they also say "You must be at your gate area at least 30 minutes prior to departure. Please observe gate changes at short notice. The boarding gate doors close up to 20 minutes prior to departure. If you arrive after this time you may not be accepted for the flight. Please allow sufficient time to check-in and clear security".)", most are at least 40 or 45 mins. If you have skis/board you may also have to go to another area to check those in. Getting through security is not exactly a breeze these days  + Maybe 10 - 15 mins walk to your gate? + if train arrives 1hr 35min before how long from the station to the check in desk? Gate closes 20-30 mins before departure, unless you like being one of those popular folk who keep everyone else sitting on the plane while they tannoy for you and then the plane misses its slot?
But as I say, I know nothing. (oh, and I use Business Class check in and fast-track security (if its open) and I would still be sweating with that timing)
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks for the opinions. It's a BMI charter flight, haven't received the tickets yet but I don't think online check-in is an option. No skis/board, just regular hold luggage.
The sensible option would be as cathy says to stay in a B&B the night before, or get a taxi or something. But I'm cheap and am trying to organise this trip on a shoestring 
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Gatwick's a shite-hole (but far better than Heathrow), and for some reason it always seems to take ages going through security - I go through around 10 times a year at all manner of times and I've always found it busy through security. I'd maybe give yerself another 15-30 minutes depending on how and what you're checking in as stated by someone above. (though you'll probably be ok at 4.45 and the adrenaline/panic will likely get you wide awake at that un-Godly hour!!)
Good Luck
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You know it makes sense.
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Two Ears Laybelle, You could get a night bus - I know one goes from Liverpool St.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Two Ears Laybelle, Your biggest concern should be the reliability of the train service. There's certainly no room for any sort of delay.
I think Yoda, was quite right, you need to allow time for security and booking ski's in, these will both add time to the process. Good luck.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Two Ears Laybelle, ultimately of course it is your decision. Let me just tell you about my 06.00 AM flight from LGW in October. I live about 100 miles from Gatwick, and my departure from home calculation went something like this. 06.00 flight, meant 04.00 check-in, 2 hours journey ( including parking at on site long stay car park ) which meant leaving at 02.00 AM. The reality was more like this................ We were late leaving the house ( mainly due to having 2 young children, and issues such as "have we left the iron on?" - i mean, the iron hadn't been used for 2 or 3 days, so if it had been left on, there would have been a fire by now  Anyway, next issue was when we got on the M25 and saw signs informing us that we couldn't exit at J7 ( M23 interchange ) ...... so we had to continue on to J6, turn around and get off at J7 going clockwise......even at 03.30 in the morning this added a fair amount of time.....Next was the Long Stay car park, it took much longer than anticipated because the "Open" zone was furthest from the entrance ! All in all, we still managed to check in before the desks closed, but we were last, and got a bit of a telling off. I think the moral of the story is that i would rather have been sat in the airport having a coffee and reading a paper than worrying about whether i was going to get there in time 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Take a chance on the later flight, it's only your skiing holiday after all.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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do you know which terminal your flight leaves from. BA are certainly in a different terminal (can never remember whether it's North or South) from the train station which adds to the bu99eration factor.
that said, if you are at checkin 1h30 before departure, that is plenty of time. less than an hour in advance counts as cutting it fine in my book unless it's City Airport
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I think that there are two basic types of people in this world. People like me, who leave plenty (too much?) of time to check in get through security, but don't mind sitting around at the airport, having a beer and reading the paper, and then the others, who time their check in to the last minute, but don't mind the fact that they occasionally miss planes. Decide which one you are, and time your trip appropriately.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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OK, I think I will have to set off a bit earlier. I guess it's probably a 90%+ chance that it would be enough time, but why risk the 10% chance that it wouldn't?
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I'm with cathy. You need to assume your train will be cancellled and therefore make sure the next one still gets you there in time
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barry, That is a bit unfair...knocks spots off Geneva. At leat you have things to waste time doing.
04.45 is fine, IMV
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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JT, nah I hate the place and Heathrow too, although my trips outta Heathrow generally mean I get to do the virgin lounge and limo dealie which is great. LGW though for me is for domestic connections / short haul and I've not had many good experiences there I'm afraid. Plenty to do maybe but if you get delayed on a good proportion of your visits there then having something to do is little consolation. Fair dues there are worse ports no doubt (many/most US ports  ??!!) but it's just that those 2 are at the bottom of my list
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barry, Agree about Heathrow.....altho' T5 is supposed to be the biz now
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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For a comfortable checkin, your train needs to arrive at 330am at the very latest.
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I agree with BMF Skier that the reliability of the train is the key issue. If you could guarantee being there 1.35 minutes in advance, fine. But you can't. We take trains to Gatwick fairly regularly and they are fairly regularly late enough to be an issue with timing that tight.
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You know it makes sense.
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What time does Gatwick/ Checkin desk actually open ?
One year we were flying from our regional airport ( 20 mins away ) to North America via Amsterdam - due to fly at 06.30 and were told to be there 2 hours before. We recieved some very strange looks from the security staff when we walked in at 04.30, who took enjoyment telling us the rest of the airport arrived around 05.00 and check in was usually around 05.30 for the 06.30 flight
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Bones, Birmingham by any chance? We had a similar conversation with security there a few years ago
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Whitegold wrote: |
| For a comfortable checkin, your train needs to arrive at 330am at the very latest. |
dangly bits.
4:15 would certainly be fine. 4:45 is pushing it a bit. 3:30 would be stupid unless it was the only choice.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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IME as long as you check in (with your bags) an hour before the flight is due to leave, then you'll be fine. Check-in is still open at this time: if checking-in "so late" was an issue, they'd close check-in earlier.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Bones wrote: |
What time does Gatwick/ Checkin desk actually open ?
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Most check in desks at most airports tend to open about 3 hours before the flight IME. It is very rare to find one which is not open at 2 hours before.
| Quote: |
One year we were flying from our regional airport ( 20 mins away ) to North America via Amsterdam - due to fly at 06.30 and were told to be there 2 hours before. We recieved some very strange looks from the security staff when we walked in at 04.30, who took enjoyment telling us the rest of the airport arrived around 05.00 and check in was usually around 05.30 for the 06.30 flight |
That is barking! They expect to process a complete plane load of passengers through check in, security and boarding, in only 1 hour. I suppose it might be possible where most passengers are using electronic check ins and the desks only have to deal with a small number, but with a normal flight, it is really pushing it IMO.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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alex_heney, A couple of years ago I booked a last minute walking hol and as there were no seats left on the Manchester to Salzburg flight, had to fly down to Gatwick at 9pm, arriving at 10pm. Check in at Gatwick was 5am so I saw little point in paying for an hotel for a few hours and not sleeping through worry about sleeping in in a comfy bed, so sleepy with booze deliberately bought to make me sleepy, settled down on the chairs for some shuteye. Dozed off and on and came round just after 4am to see the bar opposite bursting with drinkers and then the check in queue for my flight already half a mile long, the desk having opened at 4am. I had checked this and was assured it wouldn't open early. Lesson learned but I would much rather travel from smaller regional airports and hand on heart (cf another post) have never had a single problem flying out of Liverpool. I hate the big airports eg., Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester. Arriving at Manchester to fly to NZ, I arrived, as advised, three hours before departure and spent nearly all of it in a security queue, eventually being hauled out of it by panic stricken staff far too close to departure time. Ok, I know small regional airports don't operate long haul flights, but both of these examples were years post September 2001 and there is no excuse for hit and miss opening times when the airport and airlines know how many passengers they are going to be dealing with on any given day. Growl over 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| alex_heney wrote: |
That is barking! They expect to process a complete plane load of passengers through check in, security and boarding, in only 1 hour. I suppose it might be possible where most passengers are using electronic check ins and the desks only have to deal with a small number, but with a normal flight, it is really pushing it IMO. |
But the "plane load" of passengers is probably less than a hundred, and they don't really take that long to process and go through security. It's only at the "big" airports that security takes ages due to the sheer volume of passengers going through - a smaller airport can cope much more easily.
As I said yesterday, if the minimum check-in is an hour before scheduled departure, it is unreasonable for them to expect you to check in earlier.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| RobW wrote: |
| alex_heney wrote: |
That is barking! They expect to process a complete plane load of passengers through check in, security and boarding, in only 1 hour. I suppose it might be possible where most passengers are using electronic check ins and the desks only have to deal with a small number, but with a normal flight, it is really pushing it IMO. |
But the "plane load" of passengers is probably less than a hundred, and they don't really take that long to process and go through security. It's only at the "big" airports that security takes ages due to the sheer volume of passengers going through - a smaller airport can cope much more easily.
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I agree absolutely that the small airports can get people through more quickly, but even so (assuming we are talking standard modern passenger jet size of 130+) I reckon they would need at least 4 dedicated check in desks for the flight to be sure of processing an entire flight quickly enough that the last of them would still have time to get through security and to the gate in time.
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As I said yesterday, if the minimum check-in is an hour before scheduled departure, it is unreasonable for them to expect you to check in earlier. |
Unreasonable to expect any given individual to do so, yes.
But not unreasonable to expect that the majority of the passengers won't arrive at the latest moment allowed, so they should only have a few to process that close.
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| alex_heney wrote: |
| Whitegold wrote: |
| For a comfortable checkin, your train needs to arrive at 330am at the very latest. |
dangley bits.
4:15 would certainly be fine. 4:45 is pushing it a bit. 3:30 would be stupid unless it was the only choice. |
Au contraire.
For a ski-centric flight, with many infrequent flyers checking in extra and unfamiliar luggage, roughly 3 hrs is the miminum for a comfortable checkin these days.
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| Whitegold wrote: |
| alex_heney wrote: |
| Whitegold wrote: |
| For a comfortable checkin, your train needs to arrive at 330am at the very latest. |
dangley bits.
4:15 would certainly be fine. 4:45 is pushing it a bit. 3:30 would be stupid unless it was the only choice. |
Au contraire.
For a ski-centric flight, with many infrequent flyers checking in extra and unfamiliar luggage, roughly 3 hrs is the miminum for a comfortable checkin these days. |
Your usual complete and utter dangly bits.
I have only ever arrived at an airport three hours before scheduled departure when a TO has insisted on taking us there that early. I have usually been completely comfortable with the time available to check in and get through all the processing.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Save all the hassle, worry ... and argument!
Travel the night before and kip at the airport.
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