Airport Experience (Questions & Reviews)

[Vile8er]

Hi everyone, I’m flying out next Sunday on an early flight at 6.25am. Are the queues for security still horrendous and is 4am a reasonable arrival time?

Last week (Monday) I dropped my daughter and grandson off at 4.00am for their Jet2 flight at 6.45am. They had checked luggage in, through security and in Wetherspoons by 4.50am.

 

[LichfieldBlue]

Last week (Monday) I dropped my daughter and grandson off at 4.00am for their Jet2 flight at 6.45am. They had checked luggage in, through security and in Wetherspoons by 4.50am.

Thanks for your reply and KRO

 

[Nethercote2019]

Hi everyone, I’m flying out next Sunday on an early flight at 6.25am. Are the queues for security still horrendous and is 4am a reasonable arrival time?

Hi I’m on the FR476 to SDR this morning - this is my first experience of the new set up, arrived at a busy departures at 04:30 and thru security in 25 mins all very efficient lots of friendly staff, the lift is a bit odd as it would help if there was announcement as when doors open people stopped and said is this it or up another floor etc
The scanners were very quick but strange as random people asked to remove shoes - even flip flops ! Also a very high number of bags were rejected
All in all a lot better than expected and Ryanair did message me saying get here 3 hours before,
The departure lounge was very very busy ques at all shops and bars and as usual no seats anywhere
Hope this helps

 

[Jon Dempsey]

Hi I’m on the FR476 to SDR this morning - this is my first experience of the new set up, arrived at a busy departures at 04:30 and thru security in 25 mins all very efficient lots of friendly staff, the lift is a bit odd as it would help if there was announcement as when doors open people stopped and said is this it or up another floor etc
The scanners were very quick but strange as random people asked to remove shoes - even flip flops ! Also a very high number of bags were rejected
All in all a lot better than expected and Ryanair did message me saying get here 3 hours before,
The departure lounge was very very busy ques at all shops and bars and as usual no seats anywhere
Hope this helps

Thanks Nethercote,

Off to AMS on Wednesday with EZY - when I checked in, they quoted bag-drop open 2 hours before departure.

 

[Mackadown spotter]

Well dad went to Glasgow last night all well and good before boarding.We measured the bag using check size case it was perfectly fine and it didn’t fit at all.He had to pay £48-£50 to use overhead to which I find scandalous especially for a 45 minute journey

 

[HPsauce]

Well dad went to Glasgow last night all well and good before boarding.We measured the bag using check size case it was perfectly fine and it didn’t fit at all.He had to pay £48-£50 to use overhead to which I find scandalous especially for a 45 minute journey

How much over was the case if you had checked the bag size checker?.

 

[Mackadown spotter]

How much over was the case if you had checked the bag size checker?.

He said he shoved it in but it wasn’t to be.They were rushing my dad to hurry up or they will close gate.To me that’s antagonistic and pressuring behaviour especially from an easyJet representative

 

[Jon Dempsey]

Well dad went to Glasgow last night all well and good before boarding.We measured the bag using check size case it was perfectly fine and it didn’t fit at all.He had to pay £48-£50 to use overhead to which I find scandalous especially for a 45 minute journey

I always try to book over-wing extra leg-room seats. The airline has to clear the emergency exit for safety reasons, so hand baggage must go in the overhead lockers, to avoid this kind of rip-off.

I had a similar situation to/from Edinburgh a few years ago with FlyMayBe. The size was perfectly OK on the outbound flight, but I was fined on the inbound with the same bag and contents!

 

[LichfieldBlue]

A real moan about BHX or should I say Tui and/or their ground agents. Flew to EFL this morning and as you know it was filthy weather. Got to EFL and cases were absolutely soaked with our clothes sodden. Sorry but they must have been stored outside, why can’t they use covered bins like most airports. Rant over

 

[Aviador]

A real moan about BHX or should I say Tui and/or their ground agents. Flew to EFL this morning and as you know it was filthy weather. Got to EFL and cases were absolutely soaked with our clothes sodden. Sorry but they must have been stored outside, why can’t they use covered bins like most airports. Rant over

That is poor. What type of aircraft was it? (not that should excuse them)

 

[LichfieldBlue]

That is poor. What type of aircraft was it? (not that should excuse them)

737 800 EI FFC

 

[KARFA]

737s are not containerised i am afraid.

 

[LichfieldBlue]

737s are not containerised i am afraid.

That wasn’t what I was saying, in the states they use covered containers that keep the elements out until they are loaded/unloaded. Even a tarpaulin would have done

 

[Karl C]

Doing Tui day before check in tomorrow. As the flight on Wednesday is a 787 will the luggage be stored in a luggage bin/container? I have no clue as to what happens once the suitcase zips off after check in with regard to twilight check in

 

[Karl C]

Was thru security in under 10 mins this morning. The issue seemed to be at the Tui check in. People had been waiting for over an hour in the check in queue. Lady I spoke with had come from Dorset and was not impressed. Day before check in was very much worth it!
G-TUIA down to KGS - 255 pax on board...lots of babies and a 2.15 hours delay. Wasn't too bad and it's 29c and toasty... cannot complain tbh

 

[Ashley]

Just a quick review on my way through the security. Didn't know what to expect after reading so many negative headlines and comments. Left home just before 11am and checked in for the Qatar Airways fight to DOH half an hour later. Two lifts were out of use so opted to walk up the staircase. Passed through the security in pretty quick time . Even though the terminal still looks like a big construction site overall not a bad experience. The only thing which I will criticise is the lack of seating in departures.

 

[Vile8er]

Went through on 19th September before midday for a 1.55pm EasyJet flight. Took about 15 mins to check the bags in. Joined the lifts queue and finally got through security at 1.30pm. Only just had time for a quick toilet visit before boarding. It wasn't a pleasant experience in the security queue with a lot of moaning from others and since my last flight in June it didn't appear as though much progress had been made because it was still like a building site. My return through Fuerteventura airport was completely the opposite. Old style security process that worked as it should and a pleasant spacey terminal. In my opinion BHX is too small to handle their current footfall in a comfortable process for their passengers.

 

[Nibbles]

I went through yesterday, arriving via the rail station people mover at 5:15. Straight into a lift downstairs. We had security fastpass as part of our booking so skipped the queue to get back upstairs, but in any case the queue waiting would've cleared in 2 lift loads, at most. Security queue are was full up the e gates, but not utilising all queuing space once beyond. I'd be surprised if anyone waited more than 30 minutes total.

Given our flight was delayed by a couple of hours (unknown until we arrived at the airport) we opted to relax in the No1 lounge. Pleasant, and about as quiet as I've seen it. When we left 2 hours later the departure line was virtually empty and when our flight pushed back at 9:15 the whole south side of the airport was empty. Quite bizarre really.

So all in, airport was a doddle!

 

[Karl C]

Flew KGS-BHX yesterday on G-TUIA. Strong headwinds so captain chucked the plane up to 43000ft very early on in the flight. Arrived BHX early and parked on remote stands. Took a little while for stairs to arrive and only the front exit. Took 1hr and 15mins for first bags to arrive and 1hr 35mins for my bag to arrive....tut tut...bit long BHX. There were 296 pax on board...not surprising when I barely saw a cloud for two weeks and daytime temps were never below 27c. Perfect time of year to go visit the Dodecanese Islands