anyone know somebody like this....... **UPDATED Post #96**

[keishashadow]

Getting ready for work this morning my wife got a call from some friends. They were tying up a few lose ends before heading for the airport. They are flying to Las Vegas.

It was 8:00am. Their flight was at 9:30. The actual drive time to the airport is 45 minutes, not counting parking, checking in, etc.... They had not left yet. I find myself sitting here at work wondering if they were able to navigate rush hour traffic in Minneapolis, the day after a snow storm, and get to the airport in time......


Duds

i imagine these are the same people i see recklessly whizzing past me on highway outside of airport

Maybe, the ones making a fuss & holding up the line @ luggage check for everybody else because they've arrived too late to even consider checking their bags.

Perhaps, they are berating the staff @ departure gate because their seats were given to somebody on standby because they missed last call for boarding.

Bet they do find the time in their busy day to post online as to how terrible the airline treated them.

 

[dudspizza]

ok then, have a nice day........

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Airlines have a rule that you must be at the gate anywhere from 30 minute to 45 minutes prior to departure time.
I watched a family this past Saturday miss their flight because the arrived at the gate at 9:00 and the husband said we are not later our flight does not leave till 9:10? The gate agent explained the whole being at the gate 30 minutes prior to departure yada yada but the husband argued with the agent which got him no where.

The gate agent checked and and since the family checked in at the ticket counter a little after 7:00 and they had plenty of time to get to the gate for the flight making it their own fault they missed their flight. The gate agent told them that since it was their fault they missed the flight they would have to pay an up charge to fly out the next morning!

I thought the husband was going to go postal.

 

[rlduvall]

We are like the majority of pp in that we always allow plenty of time. My DH and I are both pretty high strung [even though he won't admit it about himself ] and I would rather be way too early or I will get freaky about it. That being said, back in 1998, we were returning our rental car to head to the airport in Las Vegas. Now mind you, we had made this trip a couple of times before, but this year was the first year we had experienced Alamo's new location. No problem - we're smart, intelligent people and my DH has excellent directional skills - seriously.

Well, we could see the Alamo sign, but we could not figure out how to get to it. We went up one street, down another, sideways to this street and then sideways to another street. I started to panic big time!!! We made it with only enough time to run straight onto the plane. I thought I would die.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Other people's travel choices are really of no concern of mine.

Then, I'm . Other than this being a public forum with any member being able to post, I guess I don't get how a frequent traveler's typical travel habits relate to the OP's friends' high potential for missing their flight - what with not allowing for 'rush' hour traffic, parking, getting from the car to the terminal, checking luggage, getting through security, getting to the gate... especially when the frequent/elite traveler's procedure with the bolded factors is SO different from those of the typical leisure traveler

 

[prncess674]

Then, I'm . Other than this being a public forum with any member being able to post, I guess I don't get how a frequent traveler's typical travel habits relate to the OP's friends' high potential for missing their flight - what with not allowing for 'rush' hour traffic, parking, getting from the car to the terminal, checking luggage, getting through security, getting to the gate... especially when the frequent/elite traveler's procedure with the bolded factors is SO different from those of the typical leisure traveler

As stated previously, the OP has not given all the facts. The friend could live 10 minutes from the airport, being picked up by a car service that will deposit them directly at the terminal, have printed BPs at home and traveling with carry on baggage only. The friend could also be on F tickets and not be concerned about joining the coach class line. We really don't know anything about this friend or their particular situation. The DIS is an overly cautious risk averse group of travelers. Not everyone wants to waste two hours "just to be safe" or traveling with three kids, eight pieces of luggage, two strollers and an elderly relative in a wheelchair.

An experienced traveler can make it from terminal door to butt in a plane seat in 20 minutes.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Not everyone wants to waste two hours "just to be safe" or traveling with three kids, eight pieces of luggage, two strollers and an elderly relative in a wheelchair.

An experienced traveler can make it from terminal door to butt in a plane seat in 20 minutes.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

This is true of small airports barring unexpected delays, i.e., terminal-clearing security threat, additional screening, long security line, lack of separate line for entitled pax, etc. (and yes, these things happen all the time)

An experienced traveler can make it from terminal door to butt in a plane seat in 20 minutes.

 

[prncess674]

This is true of small airports barring unexpected delays, i.e., terminal-clearing security threat, additional screening, long security line, lack of separate line for entitled pax, etc. (and yes, these things happen all the time)

I wouldn't exactly call DCA or IAH "small airports" which are my two most frequented airports, though I do have clients and regularly travel thru LAS, MCO, EWR, MSY, DAL, DFW, LAX, SFO. Only on a handful of occasions (less than 10 times in 10 years of biz travel) has it taken me more than 20 minutes using the F class security lanes at these airports.

As always YMMV. I value my time and as a paid consultant, wasting two hours cooling my heels at an airport is not a good use of time or money.

The OP mentioned that the friend was flying out of MSP. My client last year was in MSP. MSP was one of the most well designed and easiest airports to clear security. The TSA were surprisingly nice and efficient, I guess they just embody a good Midwestern hard work ethic. I would have the taxi drop my off at the far door where many didn't relalize was a security lane, if it was busy I would just pop down to the center door where there was an elite line, which usually had no more the 10 or 15 people ahead of me.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We are like the majority of pp in that we always allow plenty of time. My DH and I are both pretty high strung [even though he won't admit it about himself ]

I don't know that I'd have ever considered my dad high-strung, but he was never comfortable allowing any LESS than FOUR hours AT the airport! Used to drive my mom nuts. It got to the point, if they weren't leaving the car there, we'd make two trips (well, two different kids would make one trip each). Fortunately, we're only about fifteen miles from the airport

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

DCA is a small airport, door to gate.

I wouldn't exactly call DCA or IAH "small airports" which are my two most frequented airports, though I do have clients and regularly travel thru LAS, MCO, EWR, MSY, DAL, DFW, LAX, SFO. Only on a handful of occasions (less than 10 times in 10 years of biz travel) has it taken me more than 20 minutes using the F class security lanes at these airports.

As always YMMV. I value my time and as a paid consultant, wasting two hours cooling my heels at an airport is not a good use of time or money.

The OP mentioned that the friend was flying out of MSP. My client last year was in MSP. MSP was one of the most well designed and easiest airports to clear security. The TSA were surprisingly nice and efficient, I guess they just embody a good Midwestern hard work ethic. I would have the taxi drop my off at the far door where many didn't relalize was a security lane, if it was busy I would just pop down to the center door where there was an elite line, which usually had no more the 10 or 15 people ahead of me.

 

[goofy4tink]

I really wasn't going to open this thread because I figured it was pretty innoccuous....wrong again buffalo breath!!!
People....either play nicely or this discussion is done. It is a discussion, not a court of law. One person's experience is just as valid as another's. Just because person A has a different perspective than person B, does not mean that A is right and B is wrong...or vice versa.

If there are those out there who feel it's okay to get to the airport 30 mins before departure, fine..that's their business. As it is fine if someone wants to get to the airport 90 mins before departure. It's up to each of us to make our own decisons. Sheesh.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I do know people like this. I also know people who like to argue simply for the sake of argument. Or to see their own words in print.

Getting ready for work this morning my wife got a call from some friends. They were tying up a few lose ends before heading for the airport. They are flying to Las Vegas.

 

[kaytieeldr]

As stated previously, the OP has not given all the facts. The friend could live 10 minutes from the airport, being picked up by a car service that will deposit them directly at the terminal, have printed BPs at home and traveling with carry on baggage only.

All the facts, no, true. But certainly enough facts to garner concern:

Getting ready for work this morning my wife got a call from some friends. They were tying up a few lose ends before heading for the airport. They are flying to Las Vegas.

It was 8:00am. Their flight was at 9:30. The actual drive time to the airport is 45 minutes, not counting parking, checking in, etc.... They had not left yet. I find myself sitting here at work wondering if they were able to navigate rush hour traffic in Minneapolis, the day after a snow storm, and get to the airport in time......

So we know they had still not left the house 1.5 hours before flight time; we know that the ride to the airport is forty-five minutes [typically, based on distance alone; and yes, I infer that from the information provided - the OP did not state it but has not refuted it either]; we know that they were actually traveling during rush hour (heavy traffic) the day after a snowstorm (inferring, this time, slow drivers and not completely-cleared roads)

I just shake my head... DW and I both said we would have been at the airport a half hour before the call even came in to our house.....

To each their own, but I would have been a wreck if I were them, especially knowing the the security lines at MSP two weeks ago were easily triple the normal time it takes to clear the checkpoint.....

Likely - but granted, not stated - the 'normal' time it takes to clear security is well upward of five minutes, triple that combined with all the other conditions indicates the strong possibility that, having not made allowances for all the specific conditions given the day/time of their flight, the friends did not make the plane.

We can infer - again, because despite keeping up with this thread, the OP has not stated otherwise - that this is leisure - not business - travel (friends, vs. friend) and that the friends do not travel regularly for business. Knowing the OP, it's reasonable to think that any friends traveling would have similar travel experience/habits.

MSP's website advises arriving at the airport two hours in advance for domestic departures (i.e. not "leave home less than an hour and a half before your flight is scheduled to take off"). Since the OP states that it appears the friends haven't considered the additional time for parking and getting to the terminal, it only makes sense that the OP knows they're driving themselves. A car service wouldn't recommend (and certainly wouldn't guarantee getting to the airport in time) leaving one's home for a forty-five minute plus ride, less than ninety minutes before departure.

So, knowing what we do know based on information given by the OP, and, granted, using prior knowledge of the OP and human behavior in general - it is infinitely more likely that the friends do not travel regularly for business, that they live much further from the airport than a ten minute drive, that they are transporting themselves, that they are not elite travelers on any airline, that they to not travel on F tickets, that they do/would/can not use the priority security lane...

 

[Glencora]

I don't know that I'd have ever considered my dad high-strung, but he was never comfortable allowing any LESS than FOUR hours AT the airport! Used to drive my mom nuts. It got to the point, if they weren't leaving the car there, we'd make two trips (well, two different kids would make one trip each). Fortunately, we're only about fifteen miles from the airport

We always used to describe my mother's thought process as "If we're not half an hour early, we're late." And that was for going to the movies!!!

 

[prncess674]

DCA is a small airport, door to gate.

Right O, I forgot you were the all mighty authority on everything travel. What are you opinions on my other gateways that have not yet proven to be a problem: MCO, SFO, LAX, MSP. These are all regulars on my list. Considering DCA is the airport closests to the Prez and has some of the most rigorous security procedures I think what it lacks in size it makes up for in other areas. Also according to this air traffic summary it isn't THAT small.

http://mwaa.com/_/File/_/nmats1209.pdf

 

[uva185]

Right O, I forgot you were the all mighty authority on everything travel. What are you opinions on my other gateways that have not yet proven to be a problem: MCO, SFO, LAX, MSP. These are all regulars on my list. Considering DCA is the airport closests to the Prez and has some of the most rigorous security procedures I think what it lacks in size it makes up for in other areas. Also according to this air traffic summary it isn't THAT small.

http://mwaa.com/_/File/_/nmats1209.pdf

What rigorous security are you encountering at DCA??? I fly out of DCA several times per month and if anything the security is more laid back than other airports throughout the country. I can easily make it from my car to the gate in 5-10 minutes.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Right O, I forgot you were the all mighty authority on everything travel.

Sarcasm noted.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

You're talking airport size/layout v. enplanements. One doesn't have to be a travel authority (and thank you for the recognition ) to understand small from large. 18 million passengers a year IS SMALL. That being said... DCA offers no additional security than other airports within the US.

Right O, I forgot you were the all mighty authority on everything travel. What are you opinions on my other gateways that have not yet proven to be a problem: MCO, SFO, LAX, MSP. These are all regulars on my list. Considering DCA is the airport closests to the Prez and has some of the most rigorous security procedures I think what it lacks in size it makes up for in other areas. Also according to this air traffic summary it isn't THAT small.

http://mwaa.com/_/File/_/nmats1209.pdf

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Your ability to relate the truth should in no way deprive another from exaggeration or incorrect citation in an attempt to bolster a ridiculous claim.

What rigorous security are you encountering at DCA??? I fly out of DCA several times per month and if anything the security is more laid back than other airports throughout the country. I can easily make it from my car to the gate in 5-10 minutes.