The Three Hour Rule

Just interested to learn how many of us actually honour the 'arrive 3 hours before flight' rule when flying?

I must admit that flying PE or UC has made me somewhat 'dishonour' the rule lately but was wondering how others felt. I have read of people arriving early to use the Club House or to do some shopping so was wondering what the general feeling was.

JC.

Being a bit thick 'Sunday morning blues' I've posted this in the wrong forum... if someone could move it for me that would be great.

So sorry.

JC.

Personally if I have clubhouse access I get to the airport early otherwise about 2hrs before is the norm

[buns]

I suppose old habits die hard - I always arrive 3+ hours as I have a major fear of being late for flights!!

Priority pass and Clubhouses have proved a useful distraction though

buns

I also hate being late for things and tend to allow for delays, so generally tend to be there within the stipulated time. If you're facing the prospect of a long EC check-in queue, long lines for security etc, then I think 3hrs is realistic. If I'd got priority check in and fast track for security then I'd be more comfortable allowing less time if I needed to.

[Decker]

Mrs D would love to do 3 hours so I compromise at 2-2.5 hours. The clubhouse makes this tolerable at least!

quote:Originally posted by buns4vs
I suppose old habits die hard - I always arrive 3+ hours as I have a major fear of being late for flights!!

Priority pass and Clubhouses have proved a useful distraction though

buns

Me too Buns.

I hate being late for anything, but especially for flights. I had a boss who would try and be the last to check in, the last to get on `and the last to finish having a coffee on the flight. It wqould wind me up no end!
So for LGW a good 12 hours before the flight (Hotel )

I would say I aim for 3hours-2hours before somewhere in that slot- although i have been caught out! Turned up 3 hours before to find everyone else had the same idea as me and have ended up queeing for ages. but also arrived 2hours before and been caught out too! Generally it is somewhere between that time- like to have a browse at duty free and find the 2 hours go fast!

When i was down under in NZ- i use to arrive sometimes as late as 15mins to go for domestic services! On the small beach planes Air NZ operate u walk out with no security and put ur bags on urself!

Also interesting to note that 3 hours has only been put in place since 9/11 it use to be 2 hours before was recomemended!

[RichardMannion]

3hrs is the min for me - like my Clubhouses too much - and I have never ever missed a flight and don't intend to!

Thanks,
Richard

[Nottingham Nick]

I am with the 3 hour plus brigade, a nasty experience many years ago when the M25 was reduced to a car park when I was on my way to LGW means that I always err on the side of caution.

I find airport fascinating places anyway, so killing time isn't a problem - even without Clubhouse access[:(]

Nick

Being in Southern California, where traffic and other delays are a TOTAL unknown, I leave early, and always arrive within the recommended time. I hate being rushed at the airport, so would rather relax and wait, than have to run.

I know in England there was/is a show called "Airport" or something similar. We have a show here along the same theme "Airline".

It amazes me at the number of people on that show that arrive within minutes of the aircraft's departure, miss the flight, then throw a idiotic, child-like fit, and blame the airline!

I have a friend that works for Southwest Airlines Customer Service in Ontario. She advised me that the show is very typical of what happens everyday!

Mark

It's interesting to note that the 9/11 did change it to three hours and I can't say that I notice too much of a difference. Here in BOS the queues can be long so I try and give myself 2 hours. If flying Y I will make every effort to get there 3 hours before but I must admit that I haven't done that since May this year flying with Air France ([:(]).

If I'm hiring a car I try and get to the car return 3 hours before and by the time they've done every terminal except the one I'm flying I usually arrive just about 2 hours or so before. The M25 can be a pain though as I often give myself traffic jam time that sometimes isn't needed and I end up arriving 3+ hours in advance and without club access get really bored!

It's funny, I too have a boss who will leave everything until the last minute saying "that's the American way for business travellers James!!!" but he's usually late for the morning flights rather than the returns so I'm always thinking he's had a few mins more in bed!

JC.

Airport is the BBC's behind the scenes look at LHR.

Airline is in 2 forms over here. 1st form is a behind the scenes look at Easyjet (been very popular). Airline was orginally a behind the scenes look at Britannia but Britannia didnt like the bad PR so EZY were used instead. The programme format was then sold to the Americans in order for the southwest show- which is shown here as Airline USA on ITV2

[honey lamb]

Like most of you I like to be early and adhere to the 3 hour rule. Unfortunately I usually have to use a connecting flight from ORK - more often than not for the USA flights the first flight out at 7:30. Given that it can be held on the tarmac there because of ATC congestion at LHR I never relax until the aircraft is airborne with a good chance of an on-time arrival. I really do find that stressful [:(]

I get try and get there around 2 hours before Dept and touch wood never missed a flight.

Cheerrs

Phil

[fozzyo]

I'm a three hour person. I hate to be late, like to have time to enjoy it all. All my travel is holiday / pleasure so the enjoyment starts when I leave the house. Also am usually booked into a ServisAir lounge or equivilent so like to have a few drinks there.

Foz )

Generally I fall into the 3 hour brigade too - maybe a tad less. Although for too long I lived 10 minutes from LHR so I began getting a little casual for shorthaul flights,

My last nasty experience was arriving at LAX late (traffic on the freeway) for an AA flight to JFK. I probably would have made the flight but for the awful automated check-in and nobody there prioritising the passengers - not that I am blaming AA for my turning up late .

Anyway - they put me on the next flight which was about an hour later and I had a nice meal during the wait.

Phil (Buffy)

Wow - only 3 hours early? Let me throw my hat into the ring as a "4hr before departure" person I also allow more time for travelling to the airport so that I can make it there for 4hrs before dep! I do hate to be late, but I like to maximise my chillout time at the airport - whether that's in the clubhouse or sat in a bar. Gotta say that kicking off a holiday with a beer with breakfast is a bit of a tradition with me [8D]

Mark - I've thoroughly enjoyed watching the Airline USA series (I do feel sorry for the WN employees sometimes!), though I think it was edited a fair bit for ITV2 over here

Cheers

Michael

Wow! 4 hours... The Club House must be good!

I used to love going to the airport early before a flight and people watching, checking out the shops etc but after a while it starts to become somewhat dull!

LHR and LGW are great as they have a certain amount of 'things to do' but with all of the flying I have to do here in the US now I've learnt that US airports have bugger all in them so the less time I'm in the airport the better. Even flying home I get bored as there is only so much time you can sit rocking on those white chairs in Terminal E at BOS waiting for eventual boarding, which, on VS in particular (small grump here!) is often delayed!

JC.

[fozzyo]

As of yet not had a full clubhouse experience yet, so imagine when I do I will probably be there 4hours early or something like that.

Foz )

quote:Originally posted by colbornjames
Wow! 4 hours... The Club House must be good!

By the time you've had your hair cut , showered, ate a hot breakfast, drank a few coffees, a few glasses of vino, snacked, had shoes shined logged onto V-flyer, 4 hrs isnt enough.

Especially if you need to buy Duty Free;)

4 hours + for LHR, LGW & JFK as the check-ins are open, 3 hours just about everwhere else hate to be late and like to get monies worth in the clubhouse:D

As I havn't yet been to the LHR clubhouse think I'll get there for 10:00am for VS3 in January. Want to have a drink in every style of chair

Dean