Aviation Discussion

Butts · 18 Sep 2017

atillathehunn said:
Taxi. The metro has to be only about 5 minutes late and you're scuppered. With the security situation as it as at the moment, I really wouldn't contemplate it.

Of course what will actually happen is the poor bugger will shell out for a Taxi get there about 6.30am to find no queue at security and the flight will not board till 8am....

But if he chances it - sods law it will all go pete tong :roll:

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Tetchytyke · 18 Sep 2017

I wouldn't trust in the Metro that early, I have to say. It goes wrong too often.

ModernRailways · 18 Sep 2017

If there are delays then I can find out, and then jump into a Taxi. The Metro takes an hour (with change), a Taxi takes 30-35 minutes.

I could possibly get a lift to another station and get to the Airport at around 6:40am. That leaves me just over 45 minutes to get through.

Is there a minimum amount of time you do need to be at the security line by? Or is it you just need to be at the gate 15 minutes or so before flight is due to leave?

I know in the past I managed to go through the priority lane because I only had 20 minutes before the flight was due for takeoff.

My main thing is getting a Taxi costs around £35. The Metro, for me, is free. I much prefer spending less.

Bletchleyite · 18 Sep 2017

Some airports are enforcing 35 minutes before at security, but not all.

Less than an hour arriving at the terminal is probably not sensible.

Trouble is miss your flight and it'll cost a load *more*...

fowler9 · 18 Sep 2017

Yeah, I normally allow two hours, which is probably way too much. I have another mate who cuts things really fine and never missed a flight until he did it in Amsterdam, ended up stuck there for two days (Somehow, ha ha) and had to spend a fortune.

Bletchleyite · 18 Sep 2017

fowler9 said:
Yeah, I normally allow two hours, which is probably way too much. I have another mate who cuts things really fine and never missed a flight until he did it in Amsterdam, ended up stuck there for two days (Somehow, ha ha) and had to spend a fortune.

I've only ever missed a flight spectacularly (e.g. due to a train going nowhere for 2 hours), never only just. On that occasion I actually changed the flight from the train.

Though I wouldn't cut it as fine as the OP anywhere other than LCY, and probably not even that these days.

atillathehunn · 19 Sep 2017

Bletchleyite said:
I've only ever missed a flight spectacularly (e.g. due to a train going nowhere for 2 hours), never only just. On that occasion I actually changed the flight from the train.

Though I wouldn't cut it as fine as the OP anywhere other than LCY, and probably not even that these days.

You're up against two fundamental forces of Sod's Law and Moore's Law.

Your handle on your profile says 'Probably Delayed'.

Depends on your risk aversion. 100% chance of £35 on a taxi vs a 60% change of a £300 ticket on the next available flight.

daikilo · 19 Sep 2017

Airlines usually only specify two times - check-in closure and closure of departure gate. In general, if you are accepted at an airport check-in, you will be able to board even if you are a bit late at the gate. If you do on-line check-in and are late at the gate you may be denied boarding at your expense, especially if there are waiting list pax or a bus transfer to the aircraft.

Techniquest · 19 Sep 2017

I always aim to be at the airport 2 hours before the advertised gate close time, if not the flight departure time. I once nearly missed a flight home from not observing this rule (very long story that and one to be talked about in the pub with drinks!) so I am rather strict on that now. The stress of waiting in a long security queue is not worth it. My golden rule is better to be early than late.

Having come close to missing a flight once, and the stress it brought as I wasn't on my own, it's not worth chancing it. If my plane was due to take off at 0730, I'd aim to be arriving at the security area for 0530. Even if it was a 1930 flight, I'd aim to be there by no later than 1730. Even at London City or any other small airport, that rule would apply. If it was a trans-atlantic flight I'd aim to be there 3 hours before the flight was due to take off, which was Norwegian told us to do when I went to New York last year.

You may not get held up but why risk it?

WestCoast · 19 Sep 2017

Depends on the airport and time of day, but I always do 2 hours before unless it's a really small airport like Newquay or Inverness (then 60-90 mins).

sheff1 · 19 Sep 2017

WestCoast said:
Depends on the airport and time of day, but I always do 2 hours before unless it's a really small airport like Newquay or Inverness (then 60-90 mins).

If you want 'really small' then try Alderney. No need to arrive there more than 5 mins before check-in closure time and you certainly won't get any delay on public transport !

Crawley Ben · 19 Sep 2017

BA have announced a new twice weekly service is to start (resume) between London Heathrow and Seychelles from 2018 using Boeing 787's.

https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2017/09/19/ba-operate-seychelles-route/

Cheers

Ben

Butts · 20 Sep 2017

sheff1 said:
If you want 'really small' then try Alderney. No need to arrive there more than 5 mins before check-in closure time and you certainly won't get any delay on public transport !

That's positively "heathrowesque" compared to Barra where the Plane is on the beach a few yards from the Terminal

On domestic flights from Birmingham, Southampton, Edinburgh or Glasgow an hour before has always been too early. Mainly with Flybe it is very rare for the plane to board before the advertised take off time as it is padded so well.

ModernRailways · 20 Sep 2017

Thanks all for the suggestions. You've persuaded me to get a Taxi just to save on any stress.

atillathehunn · 20 Sep 2017

Crawley Ben said:
BA have announced a new twice weekly service is to start (resume) between London Heathrow and Seychelles from 2018 using Boeing 787's.

https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2017/09/19/ba-operate-seychelles-route/

Cheers

Ben

Interesting new/old route. Why at LHR and not grouped with Mauritius and the Caribbean at Gatters?

AlterEgo · 20 Sep 2017

atillathehunn said:
Interesting new/old route. Why at LHR and not grouped with Mauritius and the Caribbean at Gatters?

787s are based solely at LHR and I expect they could only make it work with a (cheap to run) 787.

atillathehunn · 20 Sep 2017

AlterEgo said:
787s are based solely at LHR and I expect they could only make it work with a (cheap to run) 787.

They're running a four class aircraft, and if you look at the feeding frenzy on Flyertalk you will see I think they will have no problem filling all the cabins.

AlterEgo · 20 Sep 2017

atillathehunn said:
They're running a four class aircraft, and if you look at the feeding frenzy on Flyertalk you will see I think they will have no problem filling all the cabins.

Interesting. Perhaps they're trying a 787 first before moving to something like a 777-200 with a bit more capacity. (Still, most 777-200s with an F cabin are at LHR)

atillathehunn · 20 Sep 2017

AlterEgo said:
Interesting. Perhaps they're trying a 787 first before moving to something like a 777-200 with a bit more capacity. (Still, most 777-200s with an F cabin are at LHR)

Could also be that they are concerned about the quality of the F cabin on this premium heavy route?

The only other straw I'm grasping it is connection traffic from... somewhere.

AlterEgo · 20 Sep 2017

atillathehunn said:
Could also be that they are concerned about the quality of the F cabin on this premium heavy route?

The only other straw I'm grasping it is connection traffic from... somewhere.

They've no problem flying crap 777-200 F cabins to Bermuda, Barbados, etc. :lol:

Richard_B · 20 Sep 2017

Just looked at the Wikipedia page to see who else flies to Mauritius from Europe and it would appear that there is a lot of new routes there being started this winter or spring 18. eurowings from Munich, KLM/air maritius to Amsterdam, Thompson with charters from a spread of places in Scandinavia, and this new BA route. They aren't daily routes but still, seems like quite a sizeable increase in capacity? is Mauritius going through the roof as a destination due to exchange rates or something'?

atillathehunn · 20 Sep 2017

AlterEgo said:
They've no problem flying crap 777-200 F cabins to Bermuda, Barbados, etc.

Valid point

Techniquest · 20 Sep 2017

Butts said:
That's positively "heathrowesque" compared to Barra where the Plane is on the beach a few yards from the Terminal

On domestic flights from Birmingham, Southampton, Edinburgh or Glasgow an hour before has always been too early. Mainly with Flybe it is very rare for the plane to board before the advertised take off time as it is padded so well.

I so want to try that airport! I think I might have to look it up...

I'll probably not be active on here for a while, as I'm planning a lengthy break from the forum. Quite, I'm not convinced I'm coming back yet. If nothing else, I'll stick around for the aviation news/discussion as to find another forum for my needs there is too much effort!

atillathehunn · 20 Sep 2017

Techniquest said:
I so want to try that airport! I think I might have to look it up...

I'll probably not be active on here for a while, as I'm planning a lengthy break from the forum. Quite, I'm not convinced I'm coming back yet. If nothing else, I'll stick around for the aviation news/discussion as to find another forum for my needs there is too much effort!

Sorry to see you go, Tech. You've always been a valuable and interesting contributor on here.

fowler9 · 20 Sep 2017

Techniquest said:
I so want to try that airport! I think I might have to look it up...

I'll probably not be active on here for a while, as I'm planning a lengthy break from the forum. Quite, I'm not convinced I'm coming back yet. If nothing else, I'll stick around for the aviation news/discussion as to find another forum for my needs there is too much effort!

Sorry to hear that mate.

Jetlagged · 20 Sep 2017

Techniquest said:
I so want to try that airport! I think I might have to look it up...

I'll probably not be active on here for a while, as I'm planning a lengthy break from the forum. Quite, I'm not convinced I'm coming back yet. If nothing else, I'll stick around for the aviation news/discussion as to find another forum for my needs there is too much effort!

That's a shame. Be happy, wherever you go.

Bald Rick · 21 Sep 2017

Techniquest said:
I'll probably not be active on here for a while, as I'm planning a lengthy break from the forum. Quite, I'm not convinced I'm coming back yet. If nothing else, I'll stick around for the aviation news/discussion as to find another forum for my needs there is too much effort!

I think I speak for many forum members when I say that reading your trip reports is one of the highlights of this website. Personally I really looked forward to Monday nights to see the next instalment.

gsnedders · 21 Sep 2017

atillathehunn said:
They're running a four class aircraft, and if you look at the feeding frenzy on Flyertalk you will see I think they will have no problem filling all the cabins.

So a 787-9? IIRC, the seat gains over a 787-8 are mostly in higher cabins, which makes it an interesting choice (given that implies it's not just toe-in-the-water).

atillathehunn · 21 Sep 2017

gsnedders said:
So a 787-9? IIRC, the seat gains over a 787-8 are mostly in higher cabins, which makes it an interesting choice (given that implies it's not just toe-in-the-water).

787-8 has no F, and I would think F would sell very well on this route.

While for BA the route is not well established, SEZ as a luxury holiday destination is well established. With year round tropical conditions, I don't imagine this being a tough sell.

atillathehunn · 21 Sep 2017

gsnedders said:
Yeah, I know, that's why I concluded it was a 787-9.

My point was that the large gains are all in the upper classes (esp. F going from 0 to 8, IIRC), compared with relatively moderate gains in the back.

AFAIK the Seychelles doesn't really have much of a budget option. Getting people there in luxury is going to be the key.

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