Advice - missed flight due to traffic

ferf1223

Doshwaster wrote: »

Not to mention that the cost of hotel + parking isn't much more than the cost of parking alone.

exactly how we first discovered the wonder that is an aiport hotel the night before the flight...we were astonished to see on Holiday Extras just that - hotel was almost nothing when bolted on with parking...we normally don't park anymore...we normally head for the airport from work, and taxi home...but this is how we discovered the concept and have never done anything else since.

stoneman

JimW75 wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback guys is always good to hear back others views/experiences - I guess it will be put down as a lesson to learn in the future - East Midlands airport from now on!

Don't bank on that either. We had a Ryanair flight from EMA and got to bag drop 2 hours before departure time inline with RA advice and only just made the plane before they closed the door. 10 other pax got left behind.

victor2

Another vote for using a hotel the night before.
If you're parking your car for something like two weeks in an off-site parking site, you can often get deals with hotels near enough to the airport to offer a shuttle service, where they'll allow you to park the car there for two weeks free so long as you book a room for one night.
I've done that before and it only cost me a fraction more than the off-site parking would have been. Had to leave the car keys in case they had to move it, but got their shuttle bus back to the hotel upon return and the car was exactly where I'd parked it.

Doshwaster

victor2 wrote: »

Had to leave the car keys in case they had to move it, but got their shuttle bus back to the hotel upon return and the car was exactly where I'd parked it.

You do have to leave the keys at some hotels but I tend to prefer that it's one less thing to worry about losing while you are away. There's no worse feeling than being on the flight back and realising you haven't seen your house/car keys for 2 weeks and not being able to remember where you put them.

Valli

JimW75 wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback guys is always good to hear back others views/experiences - I guess it will be put down as a lesson to learn in the future - East Midlands airport from now on!

Then NEVER book flights when there are events at Donnington!
One time I was heading down the M1; traffic at a standstill round EMA - both on and off the motorway. The guy on Radio (Derby) was describing the scene- including people heading to the airport abandoning their cars and dragging luggage to the airport.:eek: I think it was a motorcycle event!

headpin

photome wrote: »

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

What you also need to factor in is that that from just south of Milton Keynes on M1 to the M25 junction 6A and then around the M25 past junction 11 it is all variable speed limit with cameras. Often the gantry signs are set to below National Speed limit even when you think it is clear. So, approx a third of the journey could potentially be at a max av. speed of less than 60 mph.

For a journey to LGW from Nottingham I would allow a minimum of 6 hours including the check in time. So, doing in 5 is a result, problem is just even that was not sufficient in first place.

Pollycat

JimW75 wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback guys is always good to hear back others views/experiences - I guess it will be put down as a lesson to learn in the future - East Midlands airport from now on!

JimW75 wrote: »

My partner was meant to be travelling single trip to Buenos Aires on Friday

Can you fly EMA to Buenos Aries?

I think any lesson learned should be either to leave plenty of time to get there or stay close to the airport the night before.

JimW75

Can you fly EMA to Buenos Aries?

I think any lesson learned should be either to leave plenty of time to get there or stay close to the airport the night before

Indeed you can Pollycat Flybe do an excellent connection service at CDG to Air France flights opening up the east midlands to the whole of the world, as do BMI Regional with Lufthansa connections :cool:

Doshwaster

JimW75 wrote: »

Indeed you can Pollycat Flybe do an excellent connection service at CDG to Air France flights opening up the east midlands to the whole of the world, as do BMI Regional with Lufthansa connections :cool:

The flaw in that plan is having to connect at CDG and fly Air France...

I've always thought that East Midlands is an odd name for an airport. Do people overseas look at airline routes and say "Hey. Let's go to the East Midlands for a weekend break!"

balletshoes

Doshwaster wrote: »

The flaw in that plan is having to connect at CDG and fly Air France...

I've always thought that East Midlands is an odd name for an airport. Do people overseas look at airline routes and say "Hey. Let's go to the East Midlands for a weekend break!"

its still called "Nottingham East Midlands" on some search engines.