Missed Flight

Sicard

agrinnall wrote: »

I think you'll be lucky to make a successful claim for this, it really doesn't sound like you did leave enough time for taking what is not the most reliable method of getting to Heathrow. However, if you can get evidence of the delay from TfL it might just work.

What makes you think that? I would have thought the Tube was more reliable than bus or car where jams can occur.

Nick_C

Marmaduke123 wrote: »

You needed to bag drop with a possible queue, and get through security , another possible queue.

Recommended times for arriving at Heathrow are 90 minutes before a domestic flight, 2 hours before a European one, 3 hours before a long haul one. Personally I always add at least 30 minutes to these times to allow for contingencies.

Hope you are successful with claiming on your travel insurance!

Problem with flying with BA out of T5 is they won't allow you to check in more than 3 hours before the flight! But I always aim to get there 3 hours in advance, even if I'm flying Business Class with Fast Track. That way a 90 minute delay on the journey isn't a problem.

A couple of years ago flying from T3 it took 90 minutes to get through security! Not check in, just security, People were missing flights.

cubegame

Marmaduke123 wrote: »

You needed to bag drop with a possible queue, and get through security , another possible queue.

Recommended times for arriving at Heathrow are 90 minutes before a domestic flight, 2 hours before a European one, 3 hours before a long haul one. Personally I always add at least 30 minutes to these times to allow for contingencies.

Hope you are successful with claiming on your travel insurance!

It's these ridiculous arrive by times that Heathrow set that make travel insurance all but worthless in this instance.


Who in their right mind wants to get to an airport 3 hours before their plane is due?

Nick_C

cubegame wrote: »

Who in their right mind wants to get to an airport 3 hours before their plane is due?

Me! I'm nervous about missing flights. I would rather get there three hours early than suffer the anxiety of a delay on the journey to the airport.

Even with fast track, it can take 20 minutes to get airside. It can take a further 20 minutes to get to the gate. If its a big plane, boarding starts 40 minutes before departure time.

If you have a spare 100 minutes, you can shop, eat, or just sit and relax.

Of course if missing your flights isn't important, or if you have paid for a fully flexible ticket, you could risk aiming to get there with the least possible time.

jackieblack

Nick_C wrote: »

Me! I'm nervous about missing flights. I would rather get there three hours early than suffer the anxiety of a delay on the journey to the airport.

Even with fast track, it can take 20 minutes to get airside. It can take a further 20 minutes to get to the gate. If its a big plane, boarding starts 40 minutes before departure time.

If you have a spare 100 minutes, you can shop, eat, or just sit and relax.

Of course if missing your flights isn't important, or if you have paid for a fully flexible ticket, you could risk aiming to get there with the least possible time.

Me too!
My trips are very important to me and I invest a significant % of my annual income in them. I sacrifice alot to be able to travel.
3 hours can be easily filled, particularly at T5, which is my preferred departure point.
Like katejo I always travel to the airport the day before, a hold up causing you to arrive hours late at an airport hotel isn't a catastrophe but arriving late at the airport can be.

Although I can understand why regular business travellers wouldn't want to

cubegame

Perhaps I live too close (20 minutes to Gatwick, 1 hour to Heathrow) to worry about it.


I know I can get to Gatwick in 40 minutes and Heathrow in 1 hr 40 mins in the worst possible imaginable traffic conditions.

Voyager2002

Marmaduke123 wrote: »

Recommended times for arriving at Heathrow are 90 minutes before a domestic flight, 2 hours before a European one, 3 hours before a long haul one. Personally I always add at least 30 minutes to these times to allow for contingencies.

Why the difference between European and long haul flights? I mean, the departure processes are exactly the same.

leylandsunaddict

cubegame wrote: »

It's these ridiculous arrive by times that Heathrow set that make travel insurance all but worthless in this instance.


Who in their right mind wants to get to an airport 3 hours before their plane is due?

Me! I'd sooner be an hour early than a minute late, and far less stressful. Aim for 3 hours and it allows leeway for some travel problems.

We live 45 mins from Manchester but that becomes irrelevant when you're stuck in one almighty jam on a totally clog locked motorway.

ERICS_MUM

leylandsunaddict wrote: »

Me! I'd sooner be an hour early than a minute late, and far less stressful. Aim for 3 hours and it allows leeway for some travel problems.

We live 45 mins from Manchester but that becomes irrelevant when you're stuck in one almighty jam on a totally clog locked motorway.

Me too. I'm an hour away from Gatwick but rather than risk a nightmare on the M25 and the QE2 bridge, I actually drive down the night before and stay at the Travelodge.

ERICS_MUM

OP, several posters have suggested checking your travel insurance. I'd be interested to see if you are covered and if so which company it is.

Good luck