How many of you travel to the airport on the day you fly.

[TabZ]

We will be going the morning of our flight:
4am : wake up the house
5am : latest be on the road
6am : arrive at Gatwick, valet parking
7am : checked in and heading for the V-Room
11.15am : flight departs

There is plenty of room to move in the schedule, we will be checked in online the night before so even if we are running late we just skip the V-Room which I got for free as part of my package anyway

 

[loobzuk]

we're not able to stay over the night before because I'm working until 10pm and I'm hoping that by the time I get home the children will be asleep.

We're aiming to leave at 6am on the day of our flight and will make Gatwick by 8am even with traffic (average time is an hour from home). Our flight is 11.15 so we should get a couple of hours in the V-room. We will do on line check in the day before. I think there is enough room in our timings for anything unforseen.

Due to excitement, I can't see a problem with anyone getting up - I'm not even sure I'll actually make it to bed!

 

[kazdav]

Ok decision is made, we are keeping the hotel booking and travelling down the day before. Have emailed the taxi company and asked them if the MPV is available for the day before.

If not, I have the option of insuring my car for mother's partner and him driving us which would save us about £70 or £80. They can't now pick up though as they are going on holiday themselves.

Thanks for all your input. At least I will have peace of mind and we don't have to get up at 3am (my kids need at least two hours to get showered and dressed - school mornings my daughter gets up at 6am. I wouldn't mind but it's not as if she even wears makeup!)

 

[higgy66]

We like staying the night before - to us it's a nice start to the holiday. This summer we're staying over at Gatwick before an afternoon flight to Italy my friend thinks we're mad but it's what we like to do.

That's the same as us! We live 90 mins from Manchester Airport and don't fly to Orlando until the 1.30pm flight but we're still stopping the night before. We just see it as an extra night of the holiday and my DH is in holiday mode as soon as he walks out from work on that last day! We leave for the airport as soon as he gets in at 5.30 and have a nice meal and this time will probably use the pool which the kids will love,

One year DH broke the car boot lock as he was loading the suitcases so we couldn't shut the boot - it took an hour to fix. Had that been the morning of the flight I would have been running round the garden like a headless chicken. As it was the evening before I just put the kettle on while DH sorted it. To be stress free is priceless!

 

[disney_princess_85]

Manchester Airport is about a 30-40 minute drive from where I live, so I travel on the same day as my flight. Usually I get a lift but a taxi only costs £20 anyway.

 

[dixonsontour]

No we travel same day - only 50 mins to Manchester airport. Used to live 15 mins away.

We leave early and aim to check in 3 hours before so we have wiggle room.

DD remembers being woken in the middle of the night (was 5am!) to go. She likes her sleep like her mum - the day we go to Florida is the only day I spring out of bed.

 

[LynGregory]

We will be going the morning of our flight:
4am : wake up the house
5am : latest be on the road
6am : arrive at Gatwick, valet parking
7am : checked in and heading for the V-Room
11.15am : flight departs

There is plenty of room to move in the schedule, we will be checked in online the night before so even if we are running late we just skip the V-Room which I got for free as part of my package anyway

This sounds EXACTLY like our schedule, timings wise anyway- we are flying from Heathrow to Los Angeles.......we will be up at 4am and our flight is at 11.30. We like to build in about 3 hours to be at the airport, enough time to get breakfast, shop etc etc........have a wonderful time!! When do you leave?? We fly next Friday (29th!!)

 

[Daysleeper40]

We ALWAYS stay the night before - even when it isn't really necessary. This last trip we stayed at the Sofitel, our flight wasn't until 1:30 so we booked the V Room too. Such a better way of starting your holiday than rush rush, stress stess!!

 

[kazdav]

If we only lived an hour from the airport then I would definitely drive but its a good 1.50 mins or so without traffic.

Although the other thing of course is not having our own car there means we do not have the option of leaving an overnight bag in the car for the hotel stay. Will have to make do with the same clothes and just a change of undies and socks etc, just hope they don't decide to check our hand luggage.

On that note is there any problem with putting a heated brush and straightners in the hand luggage.

Also what is the v room - is it complimentary or is it something extra that you book and pay for.

We have pretty much always flown with Virgin but have never used it. Normally though I book the flights direct it's not a virgin package.

 

[OrlandoMagic]

We always stay the night before, it starts our holiday off early and is so much less stressful! Works well for us as we live about 1.5 hours away from Gatwick.

 

[kazdav]

Hmm just checked out V room and a bit annoyed now. Hubby and I went to Jamaica in November, paid a lot of money for our holiday staying at Couples in Ocho Rios. We enquired about lounges and were told there weren't any at Gatwick on our tickets.

 

[BlondeViki]

It usually depends on the time of our flights. If they are afternoon, I generally won't incur the expense of an extra night in a hotel, because we live a reasonable train journey from Gatwick. When I lived back up North, my parents would drive us to Manchester Airport whatever the time of day or night, because they are ace like that

Next year, we fly on a Saturday mid-morning I think. To avoid the crowds we might be tempted to go stay near the airport the Friday night, but it depends on whether I'm likely to be able to get out of work promptly. We're not meant to take more than 10 days leave at once, and I'll already be having 11!

 

[Elise79]

If we only lived an hour from the airport then I would definitely drive but its a good 1.50 mins or so without traffic.

Although the other thing of course is not having our own car there means we do not have the option of leaving an overnight bag in the car for the hotel stay. Will have to make do with the same clothes and just a change of undies and socks etc, just hope they don't decide to check our hand luggage.

On that note is there any problem with putting a heated brush and straightners in the hand luggage.

Also what is the v room - is it complimentary or is it something extra that you book and pay for.

We have pretty much always flown with Virgin but have never used it. Normally though I book the flights direct it's not a virgin package.

V-room is for Virgin Holidays passengers. You pay for it although sometimes they give it free for booking early.

 

[irisheyes123]

I live really close to Dublin Airport so Don't have to stay in a hotel the night before

 

[amacspad]

We live approx 5 mins from manchester airport and once our taxi didn't bother to turn up and made us late, cud have walked quicker lol!

Debs xx

Ps trying to redo my ticker as it said 1 month and 2 days even to I go on tues 23rd, but none of the bits I copy and paste seem to work