Chaos at UK airports

[MichelinMan]

Just reading the latest stories of chaos at UK airports with people getting away for the holiday weekend. Has anybody had their Florida flights affected by any of this? Starting to get a bit nervous that it will get worse in July for our trip, when the summer holidays start.

Also, how long are people giving themselves for check-in these days? I used to check-in 2 hours before, but I'm thinking we might need to give 3 hours now, after hearing all the tales of woe.

 

[schumigirl]

We fly from Manchester and I think we may have been lucky, but T2 doesn`t seem to have been anywhere near the chaos T1 has been experiencing.

We arrived around 5.30am for our 10am VA flight and check in line had around 60-70 people already there, some had arrived at 4am listening to conversations. However they opened check in around 5.45am and we joined the Premium line with only a couple in front of us. Took 10 minutes max.

We then did have Fast Trak through security and we were incredibly glad of having that.

There was no one in front of us in the FT line and it took us 7 minutes to be completely through to the other side, that was with me being taken aside for an extra search, always happens. Regular security line was long, very long.

Coming home we had zero issues, luggage was off immediately and apart from the extra long walk now double backing from the new terminal to head to the Radisson, it was as good as could be expected, no complaints.

Hope you have as easy a time when you do travel, it is a worry.

 

[Plague]

Starting to get a bit nervous that it will get worse in July for our trip, when the summer holidays start.

Historically these spring bank holidays (Easter/May) have always been mad. Same thing with US with such well defined leisure times.
The summer holidays should be less concentrated, the industry will have had another month or two to recruit and prepare, and sickness due to covid might be less too. So I wouldn't worry too much.

I'm going through Gatwick a week Saturday and BA have recommended I use their 'evening before' bag drop so I can go straight to security in the morning. I plan to do that, but it obviously won't work for a lot of people.

 

[pigby]

We fly from Manchester and I think we may have been lucky, but T2 doesn`t seem to have been anywhere near the chaos T1 has been experiencing.

We arrived around 5.30am for our 10am VA flight and check in line had around 60-70 people already there, some had arrived at 4am listening to conversations. However they opened check in around 5.45am and we joined the Premium line with only a couple in front of us. Took 10 minutes max.

We then did have Fast Trak through security and we were incredibly glad of having that.

There was no one in front of us in the FT line and it took us 7 minutes to be completely through to the other side, that was with me being taken aside for an extra search, always happens. Regular security line was long, very long.

Coming home we had zero issues, luggage was off immediately and apart from the extra long walk now double backing from the new terminal to head to the Radisson, it was as good as could be expected, no complaints.

Hope you have as easy a time when you do travel, it is a worry.

Just returned from Spain via Manchester T2 and queues were massive - and dont even get me started on the chaos in the car park after we flew back in. We did have Fast Track on way out ( grab it if you can as they suspended it for a while) and no check in luggage so OK but lines at check in desks were very long. Off to Florida in 6 weeks same terminal with baggage but Fast Track again - we are checking in a minimum of 3 hours early.

 

[schumigirl]

Just returned from Spain via Manchester T2 and queues were massive - and dont even get me started on the chaos in the car park after we flew back in. We did have Fast Track on way out ( grab it if you can as they suspended it for a while) and no check in luggage so OK but lines at check in desks were very long. Off to Florida in 6 weeks same terminal with baggage but Fast Track again - we are checking in a minimum of 3 hours early.

Not fun at all.

Hope in 6 weeks you don`t have any issues. I`m reading mixed reviews on T2 Orlando flights...one woman was through in no time, others said they had a wait. Who knows.

Hope you have an easy time of it, Fast Trak worked amazingly well for us last month and yes, being there early.

 

[DisneyAgainSam]

We fly from Heathrow next month, I'm hoping that seeing as it will be a Tuesday and 3 days before the end of school term we 'might' get through unscathed?

 

[nursejackie]

I flew to Majorca at May half term, queued for a total of 2 hours for check in and security in Terminal 2, but it was very organised and left time to get a snack and drinks before heading to the gate. Unfortunately the luggage took two hours to reach our plane so took off 2.5 hours late. Had nearly 3 hour delay on way back, then took 40 mins to get through passport control, so luggage was waiting for us (one bonus). The car park was crazy as we were late, and everyone had to queue for one phone to call customer services to get the car keys 'released'.

7 weeks today we fly to Orlando with Aer Lingus, and I'm hoping not to have that experience again.

 

[Plague]

I flew to Majorca at May half term

Came back from a week in Costa Blanca a week ago flying BA from LGW.
Outbound Saturday flight cancelled as people were checking in ... chaos as they had to retrieve checked baggage and people from airside. Put on a flight 15 hours later, arriving about 2am, so all my road transport was in the pan.
Return Saturday flight was cancelled on the Weds 3 days before (it's the return leg of the outbound one that got shot down the week before, so I guess it's got "optional" on the working schedule ). Put on one the following day and I ended up paying for another night in that hotel. (I'd done a split stay.)
At least it was at a civilised time of day, but of course it was Sunday so the trains were awful (and the UK weather had just turned cool and wet again).
But despite BA I had a good time. I might even go back next year ...

I'm waiting on BA's answer to my compensation and expenses claim. (And wouldn't you know it - LGW to ALC is 1,431 km and the break point for higher compensation is 1,500 km ... )

 

[gkeable]

Going to very interesting to see what the airports are like once the kids start to break up for summer.

 

[MichelinMan]

We flew out of Heathrow on Wednesday. The baggage handling system wasn’t working, so check in was taking longer. Flight was delayed around 50 minutes, but gave enough time for all the luggage to get loaded. We had a tailwind and caught up time and actually landed 30 minutes early.

I would recommend getting to check in 3.5 hours early from our experience at Heathrow. We didn’t really get any time in the shops.

Immigration was pretty efficient at MCO though. Much better than last time we came.