Holiday time, don’t miss your flight
Top Tips So You Don’t Miss Your Flight!
So, you’ve booked your holiday, checked your passport is in date and ordered your suncream. The only thing that you’ve not sorted is how to get to the airport on time! You are considering driving but you’ve done some research into parking at the airport and all the nearby places are either fully booked or ridiculously expensive, especially if you have a large group with multiple cars! Plus the thought of cramming all of your family’s luggage into a small boot and driving at 5 am with screaming children fills you with dread. Or maybe you don’t drive and the train or bus timetables just don’t work with your flight times!
Fear not, help is here! At TJs Travel we have been doing private airport transfers for over a decade so we know how to get you to the airport on time and at a fair price. But once you get to the airport how do you then make sure you don’t miss your flight?
Here are some top tips from our regular travellers on how they sail through airport check-in:
BEFORE YOU TRAVEL (Sanity Tips)
Check-In Online: Almost every airline offers online check-in. Check your travel documents or confirmation email on how to do this. It saves you tonnes of time at arrival and ensures you sail through check-in! Also, you can pre-book the best seats which is especially handy with young children, elderly grandparents or large groups. Just make a note of when the online check-in opens so you can get the best availability. Finally, make sure you print or download your tickets to your phone so they are ready on the day.
Take Entertainment: If you are travelling with young children you need to make sure that you are well prepared. There are always queues and periods of waiting around at an airport so take supplies with you. So, get those films downloaded, activity books packed, kindles/iPads charged and toys at the ready!
Snacks For the Kids: This is a tricky area as all airports have complex restrictions. What’s good to know is that anything solid is allowed in hand luggage. This includes sandwiches, crackers, crisps, bananas, apples or (the essential bribe food) chocolate! You are best avoiding anything that could be considered a liquid. However, if you wish to take your child’s drinking bottle just make sure they have either drunk it all or emptied it before you get to passport control and security. The only exception here is baby milk and baby food but this can vary with each airport and airline so do check before you fly.
AT THE AIRPORT:
Have Your Passport and Boarding Pass Ready: Always have these to hand so you don’t waste time stopping and searching for them. Even if you pop into Duty-Free make sure these are on you, as you will be asked to present them even if you’re just buying some water. It’s also good to have your boarding pass ready if staff come calling for passengers on your flight. It’s always nice to get on the flight first!
Speed Through Airport Security: Pop your phone, coins, keys, make-up and any liquids in a clear bag before you get to security. Lots of our passengers do this on the way in their private airport transfer bus so they are ready when they arrive. Also, remove any heavy jewellery and belts and make sure that you’ve planned your outfit so your clothing doesn’t have any decorative zips or metal that may set the scanners off. And, if you have any electrical devices with you (if you have kids then I’m sure you will) make sure they are out of your bag and ready to go in a tray on their own through the scanner.
Keep Checking: If you stop at the soft play or toilets make sure you turn around and check to see that you haven’t left any luggage, toys or travel documents behind you when you leave. Be especially alert if you’re flying at crazy times as things are easily lost when we are tired.
Don’t Hit The Beer Too Hard: Everyone loves a holiday drink at the airport but be careful. It’s easy to lose track of time and miss your final boarding call if you’re a bit tipsy. Plus, a long take-off and a full bladder just don’t mix! Wait until your flight is in the air to enjoy your celebratory tipple!
Keep Checking For Your Gate: The departures board keeps you updated about boarding, gate changes and delays so make sure you and your family keep checking this. Once your gate appears on the board give yourself plenty of time to get to it. Running through the airport, dragging young children behind you and hearing “last call” for your flight is not the way you want to start your holiday. Especially if the flight leaves with your luggage and not you!
If you need any help to get you and your family to the airport this summer then please get in touch. We offer private airport transfers so you will only travel with your own party in your own minibus or coach. We can cater for parties from 4 – 70 in safe, child-friendly vehicles of all sizes.
We aim high to keep costs low!
