Query on exiting departures at airport

Spudman_20000

My wife and son are going on holidays soon. I was thinking to book the cheapest flight I can on the same day, so I can enter departures with them until their flight leaves (to help with bags, pram etc.), and then exit departures.

Is this possible?

Grumpypants

Spudman_20000 wrote: »

My wife and son are going on holidays soon. I was thinking to book the cheapest flight I can on the same day, so I can enter departures with them until their flight leaves (to hep with bags, pram etc.), and then exit departures.

Is this possible?

You can but you shouldn't really. If you have checked in and gone through security but you dont get on the plane it will cause Havock.

I got stuck on the tarmac in a plane because someone booked a flight checked in online then changed their mind But no one in their party told the airline. There was one person unaccounted for and they wouldn't take off untill it was solved.

Most airports have someone you could hire to help with passagers that need assistance. That would be better alround.

Spudman_20000

Grumpypants wrote: »

You can but you shouldn't really. If you have checked in and gone through security but you dont get on the plane it will cause Havock.

I got stuck on the tarmac in a plane because someone booked a flight checked in online then changed their mind But no one in their party told the airline. There was one person unaccounted for and they wouldn't take off untill it was solved.

Most airports have someone you could hire to help with passagers that need assistance. That would be better alround.

Well, I definitely do not want to delay anyone's flight, that's for sure. I've been on the other end of delays, and its a pain.

I could potentially go to the departures gate of my flight to say I won't be boarding so that they're aware.

HeidiHeidi

Spudman_20000 wrote: »

Well, I definitely do not want to delay anyone's flight, that's for sure. I've been on the other end of delays, and its a pain.

I could potentially go to the departures gate of my flight to say I won't be boarding so that they're aware.

Some, if not all, routes to departure gates have huge signs saying No Re-Entry. You may not be physically able to return.

Arrivals are usually routed differently and never meet people heading for departures, so you'd need to check that you can get yourself to wherever the arrivals enter the building.

I'd agree that it'd probably put the system into a flat spin if you were caught doing it.

conor_ie

If your wife and son are flying ex Dublin Airport, I'd consider looking at the concierge service which they have listed on their website. This would save you having to pay for a flight (Which i really don't think you'd get cheap anyway) and inconveniencing other people. They would be met at the terminal, brought through security and escorted down to their gate.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

I think you would cause a lot of unnecessary hassle for the staff if you attempted to exit departures. As others have suggested hire a concierge service for the airport if you like.

Spudman_20000

Yes, looks like a concierge would be a much better option for sure.

Thanks everyone for your replies!

ProudDUB

OP, all airports have ways whereby people can leave the Departures area and exit the airport, be they staff who work in the area, or people who fall ill, or decide at the last minute that they are not traveling, or people who are doing what you are doing.

I don't see a problem at all with your booking a cheapo Ryanair flight for a tenner, attending to your families needs & then leaving. You would definitely need to let the airline know that you not traveling. (That is very, very important, its a security thing.) Then, either they or airport security staff would tell you how to leave the Departures area via the authorized exit. It will probably not be the same way that you came in, so it's best to let the airport/airline staff direct you.

veetwin

Yeah there is no problem in buying a cheap flight and exiting without flying. Just head down towards the 200 gates and head towards immigration and exit through the baggage hall.

A good idea to tell the airline at the boarding gate of your flight though that you won't be travelling. I don't think it's a big deal though and Ryanair certainly won't delay their departure if you don't turn up. Delays are usually caused by passengers checking in bags and then not turning up at the gate which is a security issue.

Lapin

Which airport are they flying from OP?

If its Dublin your idea is doable, but I would ask myself if its really worth the hassle of going through the security checks there just to accompany your wife and son an extra few yards to the gate. You'll need a holiday yourself after that.

Assistance is provided at Irish airports to help people to the plane. Just make sure to get to the airport in good time for them to arrange it.


I did something similar a while back when my GF and her son were travelling. But I did actually fly. Took a day trip to Newcastle and went to the races for myself after seeing them off on their flight to Spain.

Another thing (and without knowing your family's circumstances I don't want to pry), but if they need assistance getting from departures on landside to the aircraft gate, how will they manage from there on? I'm thinking specifically of their return journey.

Might be worth checking in advance to see if they provide assistance there.

Penalty

veetwin wrote: »

Delays are usually caused by passengers checking in bags and then not turning up at the gate which is a security issue.

+1

If you check in online and don't turn up Airlines don't really care. If it reaches the time of the flight and the plane is boarded they just close the door and off they go. Particularly Ryanair. It only causes problems if someone has checked in a bag and then decided not to travel.

No problem getting out of Dublin airport from departures. As someone said if all else fails head to 200 gates where it says no re-entry. The reason for this is because this is where arrivals and departures are in the same space. You can then walk out as normal through passport control.

It's a lot more common then people think that for whatever reason people decide not to travel.

coylemj

Penalty wrote: »

It's a lot more common then people think that for whatever reason people decide not to travel.

It can also happen by accident as happened me in a US airport though this was before 9/11. After security I missed an overhead sign for the gates and mistakenly followed arriving passengers to the arrivals area. When I walked into the 'meet and greet' mob, I realised that I had taken a wrong turn!

Thinking I'd be arrested as a security risk if I told an official what had happened, I kept my mouth shut, went back to the security area and made sure that I went to the scanner as far away from the one I had just passed through a few minutes earlier in case anyone recognised me, I wasn't noticed and followed the correct signs the second time!