Recent experiences with time to check-in at airport

[FredS]

Without cutting it too close, trying to get an idea of how far in advance we should arrive for our flight. Generally I am the conservative, get there at least two hours ahead of time one, but this trip I really would like to stay at Epcot as late as possible on our day of departure.

Delta's e-ticket says to arrive 60 minutes early for a domestic flight, the website suggests arriving 1 1/2 hour early at MCO. I am not too concerned about being bumped, but want to be sure that we get there in plenty of time so that Delta has to compensate us if that does occur and has to get us on another flight (I realize that at some point you just give up the reservation and for our non-refundable tickets we would lose any rights.) Delta's customer service attendants will NOT give a straight answer on this.

Our flight is mid-day on Saturday in October on a small (50 passenger) jet via one of Delta's "travel partners" (Not sure how all of that factors into overbooking and time through check-in and security, but for the experts it might help in responding!) Any experiences or advice? Thanks!

 

[safetymom]

If you want to be one of the ones bumped then I would get there early.

I flew through MCO last week on a Saturday and they were very crowded at the security checkpoint. I would allow at least 1 and a half hours for that on a Sat. but would be there even earlier if you are planning to be bumped.

You should also call the airline the night before to see how the flight is looking. If it isn't in an overbook situation then you wouldn't need to be there quiteso early.

I would also ask the airline when they release the seats to standby's. I have seen 10 or 30 mins. before the flight.

 

[FredS]

I don't necessarily WANT to be booked, what I want to do is find out how late I can arrive without getting bumped and losing any compensation/replacement flight. I would love to take the flight, I just don't want to get there two hours early if an hour and a half or less is sufficient to protect my interest, NOT necessarily get me on that flight.

If they calculate from the time we check-in at kiosk and/or baggage counter and receive boarding passes and it is more than an hour before, I would assume we would be safe, i.e., they couldn't refuse us boarding and to provide another flight. I would just like to have some specific rule to reference. With it being such a small plane I was not sure how that affects overbooking.

 

[safetymom]

Ok, so you don't want to get bumped. But you want to get to the gate as late as possible? Correct. If you aren't at the gate but stuck in the security line when that "magic" number comes up you won't be on the plane if it is overbooked. To play it safe I would plan on being at the gate no later than 30 mins before your flight. At the gate, not in the airport.

I still say to call the airline the day before to see how full the flight is. If it is overbooked by a lot I wouldn't want to chance cutting it close at the airport. Sure they will get you on the next flight but that could be hours. Also if you didn't volunteer then you are stuck with whatever compensation they offer if any.

Also do you have seat assignments? Those are usually the first to be bumped. So make sure you have seat assignments beforehand or get to the airport early.

 

[hercamore]

Midday on a Saturday means MCO will be very busy.

I would get there at least 2 hours early.

Plus, traffic around LBV area will be heavy.


herc.

 

[FredS]

Actually, according to Delta, the busiest times of the day at MCO are from 5:00 am - 11:00 am then from 2:00 pm 'til sometime in the afternoon, mid-day being a slower period.

I wish I had some idea if security was going to take ten minutes or an hour. It just seems silly to be dropped off two hours ahead of time and have it only take us 20 minutes to get through security to the gate. Then we're sitting there forever when we could have spent more time munching at the Food and Wine festival. Again, I just wish I knew what the requirement is for check-in to not lose the reservation/flight entirely. I mean, if you were issued boarding passes more than an hour ahead of the flight time on a non-refundable ticket with pre-assigned seats then they really should figure you are going to be in those seats!

 

[prncess674]

Security is getting better about moving the lines at all airports. Allowing 30 minutes to clear security is more than adequate. You can trim time off of getting a boarding pass in two ways. (1) use the e-ticket kiosk at the airport to check in if you have luggage or (2)check in online if you don't have luggage to check. The regular domesitc lines at all the counters can snake forever when the kiosks are sitting there empty. I never understand this. The machines can check in you just as well as the ticket agent and in about a tenth of the time it takes to stand in line at the airport. You can check luggage at the eticket machines at the airport.

I would never be at the airport more than an 1.5 hours early unless there was some extenuating circumstance. Don't forget to allow time to drive to the airport, refill the rental car and return the rental car.

I am assuming you are flying on an Embraer Jet, since you said there are only 50 seats. Boarding begins later on flights this small since there aren't as many people like on a 767.

I realize you are looking for the airlines to tell you have to be at the gate and/or on the plane XX minutes before departure to guarantee your reservation but the rules are inconsistently appliied and every person you ask will probably give you a different answer. It is ultimately up to the gate agent. Planning on being in the gate area 30 min prior to departure is a good rule of thumb.

 

[FredS]

Thanks, that is helpful. I just couldn't imagine that it would take us that long to get through security. We NEVER go to the ticket counter. I love the kiosks!

The specific rules have never really mattered in the past because I was always very early. This case it matters so I became (and still am) curious about the rules (and I feel sure that somewhere there are some) regarding policy for cancelling reservations and "bumping" people. However, I don't plan on arriving 30 minutes before the flight, running through the airport and expecting everyone to accommodate me because I am very late. I just want to spend my extra time at Disney and not in an airport waiting area.

 

[CarolA]

No matter what day or time my flight out of Orlando I get there about an hour in advance and have NEVER had a problem. Especially on Delta if you use either the kiosk or the skycaps you should be fine with that amount of time.

 

[safetymom]

It doesn't seem to be the ticket counter or curbside check in that is the problem at MCO. It is the security line. I flew out last Friday and they have 4 lines of security. Some lines moved quicker than others. It still took us over half an hour to get through the line to the scanning machine. Then they had standing there for at least 10-15 mins. Then you had to take your shoes off.

You may be lucky but is saving an extra half hour worth the risk of missing your flight?

I have been to MCO 7 times this year and the lines are longer there than any other airline.

FredS, the problem with the gate agents is that they don't apply the rules the same way every time. It depends on who you get what happens if you are cutting it close. Ask 3 agents you can get 3 stories.

 

[hercamore]

Most of my flights out of Orlando have been at midday-l:00 p.m. timeframe.

Very busy and we usually had long waits thru security. Longest being this past Jan.

Got there two hours early and NW was so back up to check. Maybe Delta is different.

herc.