When you arrive at the airport, looking your way around and the time it will take to pass straight through check in and safety will depend very much on the size of the airport you are flying from and the time of day. In the Uk you could class airports into two categories namely regional or main airports.
In England Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted are the main airports serving the south of the country with Manchester in the north. In Scotland Edinburgh and Glasgow are of a similar size but well below the size of their English counterparts.
Airport Security
If you are travelling from an airport such as East Midlands or Birmingham all is so much simpler because they only have one departure and coming hall. Both these airports fly less than 10 million passengers a year compared to the 68 million at Heathrow and over 30 million at Gatwick.
Correct Terminal
If travelling from a main airport, the first thing you need to do is check which terminal you are flying from. Some airports will exchange customers on a circular route whilst others will only exchange from singular car parks adjacent to that terminal.
The same goes for bus and rail hubs, knowing the correct walkway or trip elevators to take are vital otherwise you could find yourself a long way from where you need to be. Heathrow for instance has no less than five terminals and is the size of a small town and studying the lay out before you trip is recommended.
Check in
Once you have arrived at the correct terminal you next need to uncover the check in desk for your flight by looking at the monitors that will detail the estimate of your desk for that flight. At the check in desk you will need to yield your passport, flight tickets or email confirmation where upon you will be given a boarding pass that will contain your seat estimate on the plane, if you are travelling with one of the low cost flyers there will probably be no seat funds and you board the plane and sit where you wish.
They will then weigh your cases and if you are above the limits outlined on your tickets or are taking more bags straight through than you are entitled, unfortunately you may be liable for excess charges which can be quite steep so it pays to make sure you are within the prescribed limits.
Security
You are nearly there with only safety to pass through, where you will be required to walk straight through a scanner and have your hand luggage checked by a separate scanner. Before travelling make sure no prohibited items and liquids are stored in your bags. Some liquids can be taken straight through in a transparent bag that can be purchased at the airport. It pays to spend a minute time checking that all items in your bags are not prohibited otherwise they will be taken off you with no negotiation.
Unfortunately, the threat of terrorism has increased the levels that airports now have to go to and this all longer and is far more intrusive that it used to be. You can pay extra to be fast tracked straight through safety and check in with a cost of around £20 per person.
Although I am regular traveller abroad, it is not until I reach the departure lounge that I truly start to relax. Queuing first for check in and then safety is a pain and seems to take far longer than it used to but unfortunately, these are the times that we live in and it is best if you just take it in your stride.
Other topics to be covered in this series of tips
1. How do I get to the airport?
2. Airport Hotel parking option?
3. What happens when I get to the airport?
4. Will I be alright on the plane?
5. When we land how I will get to the hotel and back from the airport?
6. What to look for when booking accommodation
What Happens When I Get to the Airport?
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