Airport dash

How much 'extra' time do you allow yourselves to get to the airport, purely for traffic? We always work backwards from the flight time, add some time on for delays - and then find ourselves ready and out of the door about half an hour before that time! M25 can be a true pig - but only once have we not got to the airport rather too early - and that was the one occasion we were flying UC (no limo, obviously). How do you work out how much time to allow?

[HighFlyer]

Oh thats easy - get up very early in the morning and go straight to the Clubhouse ... amuse myself with treatments, food, drinks and people watching until its time to board!

Seriously though, it depends where you are leaving from. I currently live up the road from LHR so can get there in 20 minutes, allowing an hour max for the Great orbital Car-park known as the M25

Thanks,
Sarah

I have journeys on large chunks of the M25 screwed by over two hours. Best example was one a couple of years ago. Travelling from the QEII Bridge Junction to the M3 clockwise, we hit traffic about three junctions before and were almost stationary for an hour and a half.

Four hours or so later, when we had expected things to have cleared, we got done for a total delay of 2 hours on the M3 and M25 due to the delay, and the knock on effects that meant most of our journey coincided with rush hour.

Three weeks ago in a VS / Tristar car on the way to LGW, there was a lane closure at J4 of the M25, which blocked traffic back beyond the bridge and made us 1.5 hours late to the airport. Just made the flight though.

I live about 30 mins from Heathrow and 45 mins from Gatwick, but I still get there about 4 hours before the flight. It's all part of the holiday fun

I'm only 10mins from Edinburgh airport, but always make sure that the flight down to London arrives at least 3 hrs before my flight. I always like to have the option of another flight to London if the 1st one is delayed or cancelled for any reason.

In fact, Air NZ have just changed the flight time on us (yes again) which only left us 2 hrs at LHR with the domestic flight we'd booked. Trailfinders said we had plenty of time, but were happy to change our flight from Edinburgh to the earlier one.... I think we have about 4hrs at LHR now

Milliemoo

Originally posted by Milliemoo
In fact, Air NZ have just changed the flight time on us (yes again) which only left us 2 hrs at LHR with the domestic flight we'd booked. Trailfinders said we had plenty of time, but were happy to change our flight from Edinburgh to the earlier one.... I think we have about 4hrs at LHR now

Hopefully, you're not going to spend those extra hours sat in the woeful UA Red Carpet Club @ LHR are you?

Pray that someone in your party has a Star Gold card and you can get in another one, like the SAS/AC "London Lounge" (probably my second favourite T3 lounge after the Clubhouse!).

Cheers!
Mike

With no traffic, we can get to LHR in 1hr10/15 minutes, but we usually allow an hour or so extra for traffic. We come up on the M3, so the journey on the M25 is not too long.

Cheers,
VS045

Ah, many folks like myself then. On a straight run, we're 45 mins from Gatwick, and maybe 80 or 90 from LHR. But oh, the M25........[}:)]

2 hours to LHR, like to get to the airport at least 3 hours before the flight, always add 1 hour for road horrors so leave at T-6.I don't mind getting to the airport early, with VS it's fine but BA are pigs for not letting you check-in until 3 hours before the flight (carry-on only or a first class ticket and a tantrum solves this hic-up;):D.

Originally posted by mike-smashing

Originally posted by Milliemoo
In fact, Air NZ have just changed the flight time on us (yes again) which only left us 2 hrs at LHR with the domestic flight we'd booked. Trailfinders said we had plenty of time, but were happy to change our flight from Edinburgh to the earlier one.... I think we have about 4hrs at LHR now

Hopefully, you're not going to spend those extra hours sat in the woeful UA Red Carpet Club @ LHR are you?

Pray that someone in your party has a Star Gold card and you can get in another one, like the SAS/AC "London Lounge" (probably my second favourite T3 lounge after the Clubhouse!).

Cheers!
Mike

I scan the Itineraries forum daily in the hope that a kind and generous Au V Flyer will be flying on the Sunday morning

Milliemoo

Originally posted by mike-smashing

Originally posted by Milliemoo
In fact, Air NZ have just changed the flight time on us (yes again) which only left us 2 hrs at LHR with the domestic flight we'd booked. Trailfinders said we had plenty of time, but were happy to change our flight from Edinburgh to the earlier one.... I think we have about 4hrs at LHR now

Hopefully, you're not going to spend those extra hours sat in the woeful UA Red Carpet Club @ LHR are you?

Pray that someone in your party has a Star Gold card and you can get in another one, like the SAS/AC "London Lounge" (probably my second favourite T3 lounge after the Clubhouse!).

Cheers!
Mike

But the OP says they are in business class in which case they can gain access to the SQ SKL and SAS/AC LL based on their ticket without needing a Star Gold to save them from the horrors of the RCC.

Too many acronyms....

Sorry, complete thread highjack here.....

Speedbird, we are indeed flying business with Air NZ.... I didn't realise we had a choice of lounges. Being a bit dim, could you tell me what the lounges you mention are....I'm not very good with all these acronyms [:I]

Milliemoo

Just googled the acronyms and came up with this quote...

"'The London Lounge' functions as a combined Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge and SAS Business Lounge for the airlines' premium customers and is also accessible to eligible customers of fellow Star Alliance carriers including THAI Airways and Varig. "

Does that mean I have a choice of 3 different lounges ?

Milliemoo

Originally posted by Milliemoo
Does that mean I have a choice of 3 different lounges ?

Milliemoo

Indeed. Flying in biz with a Star Alliance carrier entitles you to access other Star Alliance carriers' lounges.

I haven't been to the RCC but the SQ Silver Kris Raffles Lounge has great showers but is otherwise a bit boring. Normally I like to shower there first and then head over to the SAS London Lounge. Plus the staff are so much nicer there than in the SQ lounge. You should try a bit of lounge hopping if you have time.

The Strawb

SAS lounge is quite nice. Not much in the way of food. Certainly no clubhouse though!

Thanks

Milliemoo