Southampton Airport

PunkRoquefort

I am flying,  Aer Lingus to Belfast from Southampton and due to return a few days later.

Over the phone, Aer Lingus have advised me to be at the airport 3 hours before my flight.

Someone has told me this is way too early for a flight like that.

I have checked in online and know that check-in closes at the airport about an hour before the flight.

Advice please.

Thank you.

daveyjp

For an internal flight from a regional airport handling a few flights per day 3 hours is OTT. 2 hours will be more than adequate.  Even this could be excessive if you have no baggage and have checked in online.

PunkRoquefort

I have checked in online. I am taking the standard baggage allowed for the hold on my Saver fare, plus the small bag I can take on board with me. I obviously need to get my bag for the hold checked-in and weighed at the airport.

Westin

I also think -3hr is excessive at a small airport like Southampton and on a regional flight. You may even find checkin is not open until -2hrs.

la531983

PunkRoquefort said:

I have checked in online. I am taking the standard baggage allowed for the hold on my Saver fare, plus the small bag I can take on board with me. I obviously need to get my bag for the hold checked-in and weighed at the airport.

Three hours is still an excessive length of time, you could likely get away with turning up 70 mins before at such a small airport

user1977

If the deadline for checking in your hold baggage is one hour, then that’s the latest you need to be at the airport. There’s nothing before that for you to do. You should also be told the deadline for you being at the gate - if that’s, say, 40 mins before departure, it could a bit of a dash depending on queues at check-in and security.

3 hours is absurd though, even for long haul, unless you’re eg being grilled by El Al’s security team.

martindow

user1977 said:

If the deadline for checking in your hold baggage is one hour, then that’s the latest you need to be at the airport. There’s nothing before that for you to do. You should also be told the deadline for you being at the gate - if that’s, say, 40 mins before departure, it could a bit of a dash depending on queues at check-in and security.

3 hours is absurd though, even for long haul, unless you’re eg being grilled by El Al’s security team.

The dash would be very short at Southampton!   I like Southampton as it is so small and compact - you step off the train, walk a hundred yards, straight through security and you end up in a small lounge with the gates in it.  

I agree with the other comments that three hours is excessive, although I always allow too much time going to airports fearing delays travelling there.

daveyjp

Westin said:

I also think -3hr is excessive at a small airport like Southampton and on a regional flight. You may even find checkin is not open until -2hrs.

It is the case at Leeds that Aer Lingus desk doesn't open until two hours before the flight.