Does anyone actually check in three hours before departure?

[Bexx]

I realise some people want very specific seats, and that both check in and, now, security checks can take a while. But is it absolutely necessary to be at the airport for three hours before boarding a plane for a nine hour journey.

I will be travelling with two young children, so I'd be particularly interested to hear what other people with children do in this situation.

 

[steven1105]

hi bexx


I dont think you have to but i do to make sure i get the seat i want, Doesnt matter how early you turn up theres always someone in front of you anyway. I can see your point about having kids waiting that long and then going on a long flight, but would it be worse turning up later and maybe not getting your family sitting together, course you can beat this by pre booking your seat.

steve

ps dont know if this helps or confuses you more. lol

 

[poohface]

I also like to book in at least 3 hours beforehand. We got there 4 hours before and were there 10 minutes and the queue behind us was massive, I was glad we arrived when we did.

I think Steve is right though, maybe it would be best if you pre-booked seats, especially as you have 2 children. Which airline are you going with?

 

[Red-Snapper]

Basically..yes.

It really gets me when people stroll up to the gate a few minutes before boarding - demanding that they sit together because they couldnt get the seats they wanted when they checked in at the last moment (not saying that is you mind )

With the way things are looking now anyway I think 3 hours will be the minimum to the States before very long.

 

[signtalker]

Personanlly this is why we like flying virgin, twilight checkin the day before is a god send, no worrying about the time, stroll in, checkin, then please yourself in a hotel or BB nearby, and laze up to the gate 50 minutes before departure,with the seats you requested.

Jules

 

[matty624]

That's all very well if you're flying from London airports Jules. I don't think Virgin offer that service from Manchester. If they do please let me know someone. Otherwise I'm going to ring exactly 180 days before we travel to try and get the exact seats we want.
In the past we've got there 3-4 hours early, and still found 200 people in front of us!
Ian

 

[ear_poppin]

We are normally at the airport at least 4 hours before. I like to check in, get my money and then go for some breakfast. Then take the kids to see the planes and then Duty Free.

I then go through to the gate as soon as the gate is annonced.

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

Originally posted by steven1105
but would it be worse turning up later and maybe not getting your family sitting together, course you can beat this by pre booking your seat

Please remember, that even though you have pre booked seat, they ARE NOT guaranteed to be given to you.

Many people on this board will testify to that.

Imho I think the later you leave checking in, the more unlikely you will be in getting seats together, let alone your " pre booked " seats

I think i read somewhere that Virgin only prebook 55-60% of the seats anyways - probably saving all the best ones for their "vip's"

I've got to agree with red-snapper when they say the 3 hours will become the minimum.

Just look forward to getting off at the other end

David

 

[Bexx]

Interesting to hear all your replies. I've flown to the States quite a few times, though admittedly not for several years now, and it use to be a standard check-in time of two hours. Even the last couple of times, when it may have already become a three hour standard, I was able to get a seat next to the person I was travelling with. Then again, they were cases of just two people needing seats together - perhaps becoming a family of four will make this much more difficult.

We are planning to fly with Virgin from Manchester - so no twilight check in for us. But as we only live about a 40 minute drive away from the airport, I'm not sure if I want them to start doing it. Otherwise I'll wonder if I should pay more money to stay in a hotel at the airport the night before, to make use of the facility.

Anyway if we do book with Virgin, I shall definitely pre-book our seats, even if that's not guaranteed. But if that is the case, why do they bother to offer the service - as it makes it seem rather pointless.

 

[RUSHBURY]

I always pre-book my seats and arrive early and yet I still didn't get the correct seats one year. The aircraft had been changed and therefore the seat configuration had been also changed. We ended up on 3 different rows - being a family of 5, including a 3 year old at the time this was really difficult. We were told that we had to board the plane and then tell the cabin crew of the seat mixup and luckily there were a couple of very decent people on the plane who kindly swapped with us but we still had to sit on 2 rows 6 apart. I now check a couple of weeks beforehand that my pre-booked seats are still correct etc and luckily everything has been great for the last few years - but I still check in a minimum of 3 hours.

Helen

 

[Enright78]

I must admit to getting to the airport at least three hours before the flight. We are only two, but were badly bumped off a flight about ten years ago because we checked in late....I never want to experience that again.
We don't fly Virgin now, we tend to use US carriers, and I have always pre arranged seats and always been allocated the ones I want on check in. I do believe that with increased security the three hour check in will become the norm.

 

[MsPennieLane]

We did last time even tho we used Virgin's Twilight Check in the night before, we wanted enuf time to get some breakfast, nose round the shops and have a relax before the flight. This time we're flying with Travel City but we'll still check in early, despite the fact we're travelling Sunshine First and we've got priority check in. For us, it's just part of the experience.

Anz

 

[signtalker]

The other bonus for Virgin, is if you have disabled members travelling in your group, you have a designated checkin desk, so dont have to line up with the crowds, another bonus in our eyes!(oh and the generous baggage allowance!)

Jules

 

[Mike Jones]

Yep - if not earlier! Given the investment (both financial and emotional) in a Florida holiday I wouldn't risk cocking it up even slightly by being delayed, stuck in traffic etc. We flew out of Manchester on 18th December and were there 3.75 hours before the flight - the queue was already substantial at the check -in (we'd reserved seats anyway, but to be on the safe side...)

Besides, I like being at the airport! 3 or 4 hours flies past (no pun intended!)

Mike

 

[Claire L]

I like to arrive at least 3 hours beofre and often it is nearer to 3 and a half. As has been said due to aircraft change and even being a little later you can loose you pre assigned seats, as it says they are not definite and can be changed by the airline. I have seen some large queues at 3 hours + before departure recently. As for us even by going PE we like to arrive at the airport early to get our pre booked seats in the upper deck rather than the ones downstairs as is the case on some planes or being placed in UC seats with below standard PE service, as I have heard bad comments regarding this recently. Plus if the check in is around 7 or 8 in the morning gives us a chance to get a proper brekkie incase the flight food is not too good, having said that on the whole its ok, its just the cooked brekkies on charter flights I don't like!
Claire

 

[Grumpy John]

We have flown with Virgin for a few years now and always the twilight check-in. When using other carriers we would always get to the airport 3-4 hours before take off, get rid of the luggage and then you can put your feet up once through passport control.

What gets me annoyed is when the majority of people are boarded and the plane is waiting for one family or one person.

They tell you that boarding needs to be completed 30 minutes before take off but how many times have you been seated, take off time approaches and you are still waiting for a few people.

And when they did get on board they act as nothing is wrong.

I do believe that if the airlines say 30 minutes then if you are not on board your luggage is taken off and you miss the flight.

 

[2 Point]

After spending ££££'s on a holiday there is no way I'm going to start with a stressful day. If we have to travel to the airport then we leave in plenty of time, but prefer to stay overnight at the airport so the risk is minimised. Having said that we've only done that 1 out of 3, driving to Manchester for the first trip and flying on the third. This time we're going from Glasgow, a relatively short journey.

As we're going to be sat down for the next half a day it does no harm to wander about the airport, have breakfast, read the paper, have another wander. We seek out the kids playroom to tire out our DD.

On the return journey we've had 2 MCO flights and one Sanford. We used the lounge at Sandford, a must do, well worth getting to the airport early just so you can get the full benefit of the facilities (it has a kids playroom behind a glass door, all the benefits and no noise - excellent.

I can't see the worth of cutting it fine getting to airport for the sake of an hour or two, after all you are in Florida for something like 360 hours, so an hour each end on top of the obligatory 2 hours is less than 1% of your time.