Advice - missed flight due to traffic

photome

jacques_chirac wrote: »

It takes at least three hours to get to LGW from Nottingham on a straight run - I'd love to know where you've got two from!

I havent done it but I googled it and it came to 133 miles, its all motorway so I assumed you could average 66 mph all the way.

3 hours is only 45 mph!

edit

It seems I typed it in wrong its 166 miles, a bit harder to do in 2 hours more like 2 and a half, given that, if it was me I would leave at least 6 hours before departure and prob a bit more

jaques if the roads are clear and the M1 and M 25 are sometimes, would it realy take you at least 3hours to do 166 miles?

Not sure we need the debate thogh as I agree that the OP didnt leave enough time and it is down the themselves that they missed the flight I was just trying to determine how much time they had

photome

peachyprice wrote: »

Me neither, just leave plenty of time and know your alternative routes



I only live 60 miles from Gatwick and wouldn't leave anything less than 2 hours travelling time during the day, the only exception being if it's either a very early (6-7am) or very late flight (10-11pm)

Nor would I, if i lived 60 miles away I wouldnt leave less than 3 hours (prob 4)

PompeyPete

Highly recommend Central Travelodge at LGW for a worry free start to a trip abroad.

Alan_Bowen

It is pointless looking at the mileage and thinking about average speeds, especially for the M25.This morning at 0800 there were nine major incidents on the M25 already due to accidents and lane closures. The AA route planner says it is 165 miles from Nottingham, and will take an average of 3 hours, it apparently took 5 hours which was too late to reach the airport and check in. Assuming you plan to be there two hours before departure and allowing for M25 nightmares, I would have allowed 6 hours to be on the safe side or more likely have taken the train or travelled the night before. You may be able to drive, illegally, at 80 mph on the M62 or M18 in Humberside but the M25 is usually a car park most of the day with stop/start traffic from beginning to end.

spacey2012

I suppose it depends on how money saving you are, if you book a room, you can set off in the early evening when the roads are quiet, arrive at the hotel 9-10pm ish, stay over night and travel to the airport at your pleasure for £48 for a room, less if you pre-book.
Or you can try and save a few quid, spend half the day in traffic jams watching the clock or having to sit in the airport for 4+ hours in fear of missing the flight.
That's if nobody decides to crash.

If you miss the flight you lose the lot, holiday, flights, deals, time off work.
Sometimes spending a little to protect a lot is a money saving tip.

PompeyPete

We always use Central Travelodge at LGW if we have a flight that leaves before lunchtime.
Next booking is overnight 8 November before an early morning flight to Palma.
I paid £21 for a double room, and £9.95 each for a two course dinner including a pint.
It's well worth it.
The train's cheap as well travelling up from Pompey direct into LGW.

Voyager2002

Just goes to show that driving to the airport is a daft idea.

Trains whizz past traffic jams without you noticing them, and if anything goes wrong then you are likely to be protected by most insurance policies.

Pollycat

We are a little bit further north than the OP, it's 189 miles to LGW for us.

We used to fly twice a year from LGW (long-haul), check-in was 3 hours before the flight which was at 18:30.

We usually left home at 09:30 so that allowed 9 hours before departure time and that was on Saturdays when the M25 wasn't so busy.

Mostly it took us 3 hours, we did do the journey in slightly less time than that but that was leaving home in the early hours for other flights.

Nowadays we usually book a hotel but need it with parking, changing trains at St Pancras with luggage is not our idea of fun.

I think it's obvious that the OP just didn't build in enough time for the journey.

Doshwaster

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Just goes to show that driving to the airport is a daft idea.

I try to avoid it as much as possible - I especially hate driving home after a long flight - but there are sometimes that it is unavoidable depending on where you live. For me, driving to Gatwick is the most practical option even once you factor in petrol, parking and hotels as buses and trains are just too inconvenient. For Stansted and Heathrow I try to use public transport as much as possible.

I'm a big fan of stopping in a hotel before a flight (and sometimes on the way home too) as it removes almost all of the stress in getting to the airport on time. As I get older "stress saving" is becoming just as important as "money saving".

balletshoes

jacques_chirac wrote: »

It takes at least three hours to get to LGW from Nottingham on a straight run - I'd love to know where you've got two from!

yep, I've only driven to Gatwick once, to collect a passenger, and from Nottingham it was just over 3 hours each way, with no delays whatsoever.

My sister flew from Gatwick on the Friday evening before May half term this year, they gave themselves 7 hours to drive to the airport from Uttoxeter, Staffs, - and it took 6 and a half hours, with by far the worst stretch being between the Heathrow turn-off and Gatwick itself.