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When should I arrive at the airport?
When should I arrive at Heathrow Airport?
When should I check-in at Gatwick Airport?
How early should I be at Edinburgh Airport?
How early should I get to Manchester Airport?
When should you check in before a long-haul flight?
- Lucy Thackray
- EasyJet. EasyJet says it “directly advises customers in advance of what time to arrive for their flight” by email, in the days before travel - so look out for that.
- British Airways. Like easyJet, you can check in online and print your own boarding pass for the speediest airport experience - this is available from 24 hours before your flight.
- Ryanair. The budget carrier’s bag drop opens two hours before your flight’s departure time, and closes 40 minutes before it. So you can arrive somewhat earlier to allow for check-in queueing time, but you likely won’t be able to drop off your case before the two-hour mark.
- Tui. Tui has more clear-cut advice than most carriers on its website: “At UK airports, Bag Drop desks open two to three hours before your departure time.
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Booking and before you travel
- 3. During the journey
- 4. What if things go wrong?
- 5. Accessibility – support for disabled passengers and people with reduced mobility
- 6. Feedback
This guide sets out what you, as a passenger, need to know about your rights and responsibilities when flying. It breaks down your journey into stages:
•plan and book your trip
•travel to and through the airport, take your flight and return to the UK
•know what to do if things do not work out as planned
•get additional support if you are disabled or less mobile
The guide also covers what you can expect from your airline, travel agent, tour operator and airport. It sets out best practice for how passengers should be treated. In addition, it outlines the things that you can do to help make your journey experience as positive as possible.
2.1 Your rights when booking
Terms and conditions of your booking must be available at the time of making the booking from the airline, travel agent or tour operator with which you are booking. They must be clear and easy to understand and easy to find. They must also provide clear information on what to do in the case of cancellations, date changes and if you need to rebook. Airlines must provide a breakdown of all taxes, fees and charges included in your ticket. These are necessary compulsory charges that are included in the displayed price of your ticket. Airlines and travel agents selling flight tickets should make clear at the time of booking whether there are any additional charges for optional extras, for example, luggage allowance, and seat selection. These charges should be prominently flagged from the outset of the booking process and be optional. It should be possible to book the flight or holiday without the need to add these extra elements. No additional charges should be added to your booking for assistance for disabled and less mobile passengers, or for carrying medical equipment and up to 2 pieces of mobility equipment per passenger. If you have booked a package holiday that includes a flight, such as flight and accommodation or flight and hire car, you may have protection under the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) Scheme and an ATOL Certificate to prove it. This means that, if your tour operator goes insolvent (which is very rare) before you travel, you may be able to apply to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for a refund under the ATOL scheme. If you are abroad at the time of the failure, the CAA will help you in returning home to the UK. The ATOL scheme also applies to some flight-only sales booked through travel agents, but flight-only sales booked directly with scheduled airlines or with airline ticket agents are not ATOL-protected. If you have booked your holiday using a credit card and the payment was over £100, you may have financial loss protection under the Consumer Credit Act. Read more about airline or package organiser insolvency. If you have booked with a travel agent or tour operator, they are responsible for ensuring you receive details of how to check in to your flight along with any required documentation.
2.2 Things to check when booking and before you travel
There is a wide range of choices available to people choosing to travel by air. This includes booking in person, over the phone or online with an airline, travel agent or tour operator. There are also options around ticket types, such as: booking as part of a package one-way or return journeys flexible or non-flexible tickets All of these different ticket options may mean you are entitled to different consumer rights and protections if things go wrong. For example, if you booked a flight directly with your airline, they are responsible for resolving any issue with your flight. If you booked a flight as part of a package, speak to the package travel operator in the first instance. It is important that you check before you book and understand the protections and restrictions associated with your booking, to ensure you are prepared for your journey. Once you have booked your flight, it is important you prepare before you travel, including ensuring you have all the documentation you need to travel. Check the terms and conditions and for extra charges Before committing to booking a flight, check the key terms and conditions of your ticket to make sure you do not experience any surprises later in the journey. For example, you might wish to check if you are booking a fixed or a flexible ticket, what the baggage allowance and associated fees are, and any costs that you might face if you need to amend or cancel the booking. If you have booked a flight as part of a package, also check the terms and conditions of the package. Some airlines may charge for additional products and services, such as luggage allowance, in-flight meals or selecting your seat in advance of travel. Check if there are any extra charges that may apply before you make your booking. Check travel advice for the countries you are travelling to The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides travel advice. This includes the latest health, safety and security information, entry requirements and travel warnings for every country. Make sure you check this advice and sign up for automatic email alerts to be notified if something changes. Check the A-Z country list of FCDO foreign travel advice. Check you have a valid passport or travel document It is your responsibility to make sure you have all necessary documents with you when you travel. Check the entry requirements for the country you want to travel to. This travel advice will tell you what documents you need, how much time you need on your passport or travel document to travel abroad, and how long you can stay. UK passport holders should check this information for travel to the EU or Schengen area, as the rules have changed since the UK left the EU. If you are travelling on a UK passport, you may need to renew your passport. Read how to renew your passport. Make sure you leave plenty of time to update your passport. Find out about processing times from HM Passport Office. For travellers on a non-UK passport, it is best to check with your country’s embassy in the UK. See the list of foreign embassies and high commissions in the UK. Check visa and entry requirements Check the visa and entry requirements for the country you are travelling to. Some countries have specific entry requirements including: a visa to visit, to work or study abroad an electronic travel authorisation Read about requirements for business travel to the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. Countries may have health-related entry requirements. For example, you may need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test on entry for illnesses or diseases, such as yellow fever or COVID-19. Find country-specific health and vaccination requirements at the UK National Travel Health Network and Centre. Check travel documents and entry requirements for the UK If you are travelling or returning to the UK, you will need to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas, where appropriate. Check UK entry requirements. Check you have the right travel insurance It is advisable that you have travel insurance that is suitable for your plans and needs. Check what cover is provided, including medical treatment, travel disruption, industrial action, airline failure and planned activities such as adventure sports as appropriate. Ideally, travel insurance should be taken at the time of booking or as soon after as possible, to ensure you are covered in the event of any issues ahead of your journey. For example, in case you need to cancel. Check the terms and conditions of your insurance cover and ensure you understand what is excluded from the cover. This should be set out clearly in the insurance policy document. If you do not have appropriate insurance, you could be liable for emergency expenses, including medical treatment, which may cost thousands of pounds. When you travel, make sure you take your insurance policy details with you, including the policy number and your insurer’s emergency assistance telephone number. Share your policy details with people you are travelling with and friends or family at home, in case they need to contact your insurance company on your behalf. Read about travel insurance. You are recommended to apply for a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) which lets you get state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. You will still need adequate travel insurance in addition to the GHIC. Apply for GHIC and EHIC healthcare cover on the NHS website. Check your baggage allowance and restrictions Make sure you have an appropriate baggage allowance for your journey. You may want to consider if you can travel with hand luggage only. There are strict limits on what and how much you can carry as hand luggage. This may differ between different airlines, including the size of the bag you may bring as hand luggage. It is important to check the information from your airline on this. If your bag is too big or too heavy, you may be charged additional costs to carry the bag. If you are using medication, consider carrying the medication in your hand luggage to avoid any problems if your flight is delayed or your checked-in baggage gets lost. Refer to your airline’s terms and conditions regarding dangerous goods and prohibited items. Read about hand luggage restrictions at UK airports. Checking in online Many airlines offer the option of online check-in. For some airlines, this is the only free option, and they may charge you if you check in at the airport. Check in at the earliest opportunity. If you have checked in online, ensure that you take your boarding pass with you to the airport. Most airlines, travel agents and tour operators allow you to either print or download the boarding pass to your mobile. Many airlines will have their own app. If the booking has several people, such as your family, you can usually check everyone in at the same time if you have their consent. Other passengers on the booking can download their own boarding passes from the app if using one, or you might be able to send the boarding passes as text messages or emails to the passengers on the booking. If you have booked through a third party such as a travel agent or tour operator, check their instructions on how to check in for your flight, as there may be specific booking details or booking references that you need to enter. If you have any issues checking in, contact your travel agent or tour operator. Make sure your airline, travel agent or tour operator has your up-to-date information, in case they need to contact you. Plan your journey to the airport Check the airline’s website in advance of your travel to find out when you need to be at the airport. It is your responsibility to get to the airport and to the departure gate on time. If you are late and miss your flight, you may need to pay for another flight to take you to your destination. Plan your journey to the airport in advance, including what form of transport you will take to get there, and leave plenty of time to arrive for check-in. However, note that arriving before your check-in opens can create additional crowding at the airport.
During your journey, there are a number of things to prepare for. This section outlines information and advice for each step of your journey:
•at the airport
•on the flight
•arrival at the destination airport
•travel back to the UK
Disabled passengers and people with reduced mobility may require additional assistance from their airline or airport. See the accessibility and support section of this guide.
Most flights go ahead with no, or minimal disruption. Unfortunately, sometimes things do go wrong, and it is important that you know your rights when this happens:
•your right to information from your airline
•your rights if your flight is delayed
•your rights if your flight is cancelled
•extraordinary circumstances
•your rights if your flight is overbooked and you are denied boarding
In addition to the rights set out in this guide, there are further rights and requirements for disabled passengers and people with reduced mobility. This section sets out the rights of these passengers and the things they may need to do and consider when travelling by air:
•accessibility assistance
•mobility equipment
•medical equipment/medication
•recognised assistance dogs
•non-visible disabilities
Send feedback or comments on the air passenger travel guide to AviationConsumers@dft.gov.uk.
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Jun 30, 2022 · Check when to arrive at the airport. Check with your airline. Allow for longer check-in times as airlines may need to check COVID-19 related documents. Don’t arrive earlier than the earliest...
For most international flights, you should arrange to be at the airport between 1.5 and three hours prior to your scheduled departure time. When travelling during peak seasons, we advise that you arrive at the airport earlier than the above recommendations to ensure you have enough time for check-in and for passing through security and immigration.
Most airports have now dropped the advice to arrive three hours before a short-haul flight. In fact several told us they needed passengers not to arrive too early for their flight because the check-in desk may not be open and it adds to congestion at airport security.
No one wants to be cutting it fine before a flight, equally, we’re sure you don’t want to be waiting around the airport for check in to open. With that in mind, double check your flight time. Make sure you arrive at the airport: at least 2 hours before a short-haul flight. 3 hours before a long-haul flight.
Before you fly | British Airways. Everything you need to know to get your journey with us off to a smooth start. Your documents. Check what you need for your trip and make sure everything is in place before you travel. Arrange your travel insurance.
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