6.15 Ryanair flight - bus arrives 85 minutes beforehand?

RoYoBo

My aunt is travelling to Barcelona in September and is hoping to travel to the airport from Donegal via Bus Eireann, which arrives 85 minutes (at 4.50am) before the flight departure time at 6.15am. My gut feeling is that it's too tight, but she really doesn't want to drive or stay overnight in Dublin.
Any advice welcome - I know there are no guarantees, but what are the chances? Would priority boarding help?

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

It's really tight! It really depends on security, sometimes they're super efficient, sometimes they're a nightmare. If she's not checking any luggage into the hold, if she's familiar with the airport & knows straight off where to go, she might just make it.

Priority boarding off Ryanair is no help, though a fast-track security pass might be.

RoYoBo

Unfortunately, she has luggage, but she has travelled by Ryanair from Dublin before, so knows her way (mostly!). The alternative bus arrives before midnight, so not really an option either.

First Up

RoYoBo wrote:

My aunt is travelling to Barcelona in September and is hoping to travel to the airport from Donegal via Bus Eireann, which arrives 85 minutes (at 4.50am) before the flight departure time at 6.15am. My gut feeling is that it's too tight, but she really doesn't want to drive or stay overnight in Dublin. Any advice welcome - I know there are no guarantees, but what are the chances? Would priority boarding help?

Should be enough time. Biggest risk would be if the bus is late. If she is checking in a bag maybe check what Ryanair's cut-off is but she will have printed her boarding pass and it should only take 10 minutes for Security and allow another 10 for the longish walk to the Ryanair pier. They won't board until 15 minutes before departure. Wouldn't see any point in Priority boarding.

Atlantic Dawn

If she has traveled before and knows the route through the airport it will help. Realistically your looking at 20-30 minutes to get off the bus with your bag, walk to Ryanair baggage drop, q and then drop bag then go opposite end of the terminal building to go through security check. Security another 15-20 minutes if good going and then leave 15-20 minutes to walk to the gate.

Priority boarding won't help, when gate closes it closes. The day of the week could have a bearing too, if it was Monday morning it could be worst.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Just so you're aware: bags have to be checked in 40 minutes prior to take off.
This is doable, but it'll require a taxi from the city to the airport - I'm guessing the regular trasnport is going to be a bit infrequent at that hour of the monring (and it goes down OConnell Street, which is about a 10 minute walk from Busaraus)

quadrifoglio verde

The last transit flight I got from Dublin three weeks ago was at 6.30. I arrived at 5.45 and had plenty of time to spare

That said if I was her I'd probably stay near the airport the night before if she isn't willing to play airport roulette.
There's a big difference between driving 20 mins to the airport and relying on public transport.

finnharpsboy

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Just so you're aware: bags have to be checked in 40 minutes prior to take off.
This is doable, but it'll require a taxi from the city to the airport - I'm guessing the regular trasnport is going to be a bit infrequent at that hour of the monring (and it goes down OConnell Street, which is about a 10 minute walk from Busaraus)

Taxi? The bus from donegal stops at the airport

GAAman

Where abouts in Donegal is she? If she can get to derry there's a bus leaves at twelve would have her in the airport at 3:45

If she got the priority line to clear security it might shave ten to twenty mins off, it gets busy there after 5am to about half six as a good amount of Ryanair flights run around that time.

finnharpsboy

RoYoBo wrote: »

My aunt is travelling to Barcelona in September and is hoping to travel to the airport from Donegal via Bus Eireann, which arrives 85 minutes (at 4.50am) before the flight departure time at 6.15am. My gut feeling is that it's too tight, but she really doesn't want to drive or stay overnight in Dublin.
Any advice welcome - I know there are no guarantees, but what are the chances? Would priority boarding help?

Is she getting the bus from Letterkenny or Lifford?
There's a bus from Derry at midnight that picks up in Lifford at 00:25 and gets to Dublin Airport at 03:25.

Route 33 Timetable Derry to Dublin

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

finnharpsboy wrote: »

Taxi? The bus from donegal stops at the airport

Ah, didn't know that! I;d say she'd be ok then - could be 40 mins late and still be ok (45 mins before take off) - don't know how frequently the bus from Donegal is late though.

turnikett1

She should make it. However, it's no guarantee. I personally wouldn't take the risk. What's wrong with getting the midnight bus and just dossing about in the airport for a few hours!? I actually kind of like being in the airport during the twilight hours (12-6am)...

sdanseo

Tight but probably fine. If the bus is late, however, the trip is ruined before it starts.

I'd drive the day before, Quick Park for a fiver a day booked online, and stay locally purely because the idea of being stuck on a Bus Éireann vehicle for more than four minutes, let alone while trying to sleep, sounds like absolute torture.

Beersmith

Loads of time end of. At that time in the morning traffic and being late shouldn't be any problem

At that hour of the morning she should be ok. If things look tight at security, just ask to go ahead. People usually are ok with this.

sdanseo

On a slightly more serious note, the DAA fast track is €5.95. And a free paper.

http://www.dublinairport.com/gns/at-the-airport/Dublin-Airport-Travel-Services/Fast-Track.aspx?nst=0&gclid=CjwKEAiAjfq2BRDpmdHmssaW5xsSJABToP4lJ-Aus2-NEsxQkR7pWrjhJSFtV8nyuQxCIercNHqKchoCJMnw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

athtrasna

sdanseo wrote: »

On a slightly more serious note, the access to the Anna Livia lounge is about €20 and includes fast track access, or at least it used to. And a free paper.

Doesn't include fast track security any more. Lounge is poor value for early morning flights. Fast track security is much better value.

dubrov

85 minutes is easily enough time.

As mentioned before, the big risk is that the bus is late.

If it's a 6:15am bus, then i can't imagine it'd be running too late. Does it make many stops along the way? Or is it direct?

I'd probably chance it. An hour is a load of time to get through security and onto the plane, so long as you're not dilly-dallying around.

EDIT: I read that wrong, the flight is at 6:15. If the bus is going earlier than that you're laughing. It won't have any traffic to contend with at that hour. My biggest fear would have been sitting in busy traffic coming into dublin, but at that hour you'd not see anyone.

PLL

finnharpsboy wrote: »

Taxi? The bus from donegal stops at the airport

She will definitely make it. I was on a delayed bus to Dublin airport due to Friday bank holiday traffic. Flight was at 5, pulled up at the airport at 4.10. Ran like mad to the gate after security and got to the gate at 4.35, they didn't board until 4.45.

Vic_08

finnharpsboy wrote: »

Is she getting the bus from Letterkenny or Lifford?
There's a bus from Derry at midnight that picks up in Lifford at 00:25 and gets to Dublin Airport at 03:25.

Route 33 Timetable Derry to Dublin

That route does not serve Lifford. Pick-up at 00.35 is at Strabane bus station.

Murray007

My son takes this bus at this time for a 6.30 flight. He doesn't check in bags but says he always has plenty of time. It is always on time or early as there are no delays at that time of the morning.

Murray007

My post refers to bus route 30.

J.pilkington

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Ah, didn't know that! I;d say she'd be ok then - could be 40 mins late and still be ok (45 mins before take off) - don't know how frequently the bus from Donegal is late though.

So bus is 40mins late, that leaves 45 mins to get off the bus, collect bag from bus, do a bag drop, clear security, walk all the way down to ryanair's gates before boarding closes,doing all this at peak departure time!

Please be realistic with your advice, or if you don't know what you are talking about then don't post!

First Up

J.pilkington wrote:

Please be realistic with your advice, or if you don't know what you are talking about then don't post!

I know what I'm talking about and 85 minutes is plenty of time.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

J.pilkington wrote: »

So bus is 40mins late, that leaves 45 mins to get off the bus, collect bag from bus, do a bag drop, clear security, walk all the way down to ryanair's gates before boarding closes,doing all this at peak departure time!

Please be realistic with your advice, or if you don't know what you are talking about then don't post!

5 mins to drop off bag, 40 to do the rest, If it wasn't possible, there's be a much longer bag drop off limit.

J.pilkington

First Up wrote: »

I know what I'm talking about and 85 minutes is plenty of time.

Congratulations on knowing what you are taking about.

However my post referenced a poster who is taking about 45 mins being loads of time at peak morning rush to go from the bus stop all the way to the Ryanair pier and complete a bag drop too.

Stheno

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

5 mins to drop off bag, 40 to do the rest, If it wasn't possible, there's be a much longer bag drop off limit.

Last time I flew Ryanair, it took a twenty minute wait to get to bag drop

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Stheno wrote: »

Last time I flew Ryanair, it took a twenty minute wait to get to bag drop

At 5.35 in the morning, that won't happen.

IN any case, you just go to the empty desk and tell them it's got to go now. They call flights rhat are leaving anyway so peoel can just go to the desk.

If you're in that queue 40 mins before, they'll take the bag.

J.pilkington

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

At 5.35 in the morning, that won't happen.

IN any case, you just go to the empty desk and tell them it's got to go now. They call flights rhat are leaving anyway so peoel can just go to the desk.

If you're in that queue 40 mins before, they'll take the bag.

You do realise that 5.35am is probably the busiest time for people checking in and going through security?

hdowney

Also bearing in mind we know nothing of the aunts physical capabilities. So saying the walk to the pier would take X time for you may or may not reflect accurately on how long it will take the OPs relative.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

J.pilkington wrote: »

You do realise that 5.35am is probably the busiest time for people checking in and going through security?

I fly 15-20 times a year. Unless it's mid-summer, it's one of the quietest.

As I said, if there's a queue, you don't sit in the queue - you appracoh them, tell them the bus was late, give them the bag and go to the gate. If it;s more than 40 mins before departure, they have to take it.

J.pilkington

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

I fly 15-20 times a year.

Now I know you are making stuff up!

Go check out the list of departures between 6am and 8am,are all these planes empty?

Even to play out your timescale (bus stops 45 mins before take off), being generous (considering it's the airports busiest take off period)
- 5 mins from bus to bag drop (get off bus take bag from bag compartment, up the travelator and through to departures)
- 10 mins bag drop
- 15 mins get from bag drop to other side of security - meets the DAA SLA
- 10 mins to gate(assume it's one of the end gates)

Arrive at gate 5 mins before take off, boarding closed.

Of course there are chances that it will work out but to provide advise to someone to risk a 4hr bus journey hoping everything works out is reckless imo. You are banking on a lot of things to go in your favour to go from bus stop to end if Ryanair terminal in 45mins at peak time

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Assuming time's an issue:

J.pilkington wrote: »

- 5 mins from bus to bag drop (get off bus take bag from bag compartment, up the travelator and through to departures)
- 10 mins bag drop
Why does bag drop take 10 mins? You don't queue - you tell them it's urgent!!

- 15 mins get from bag drop to other side of security - meets the DAA SLA
Again - if it;s urgent, tell someone! You don't sit in the bloody queue for 10-15 minutes when your flight takes off in 30! (I know this is not an ideal scenario, but that was the situation we started off with)

- 10 mins to gate(assume it's one of the end gates)

Arrive at gate 5 mins before take off, boarding closed.
Arrive at gate 15-20 mins before take off - boarding is usually just finishing up

Of course there are chances that it will work out but to provide advise to someone to risk a 4hr bus journey hoping everything works out is reckless imo. You are banking on a lot of things to go in your favour to go from bus stop to end if Ryanair terminal in 45mins at peak time

In fairness, I did NOT give this advice - I said IF the bus was 40 minutes late, the person SHOULD still make it. This was my estimate of how bad things could get before cut-off.

45 mins from airport entrance to seat on plane is far from ideal, but easily doable if you tell people. If you sit in queues, however, then yes - no chance.

Stheno

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Assuming time's an issue:



In fairness, I did NOT give this advice - I said IF the bus was 40 minutes late, the person SHOULD still make it. This was my estimate of how bad things could get before cut-off.

45 mins from airport entrance to seat on plane is far from ideal, but easily doable if you tell people. If you sit in queues, however, then yes - no chance.

The DAA sla to get people through security before they face fines is 30 minutes, if they prioritised everyone cos they were late it would be a shambles.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Stheno wrote: »

The DAA sla to get people through security before they face fines is 30 minutes, if they prioritised everyone cos they were late it would be a shambles.

Again - I did NOT advise someone to leave it to 45 minutes - I just said it was doable if nessecary.

RoYoBo

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful replies, especially in relation to the Derry bus. This is a great option and gives her another hour to play with. She lives only a few miles from Strabane, but didn't know about this bus or the times. It's perfect!

I appreciate what everyone else said re the good chance of making it anyway, but both of us think it's tighter than she'd want it to be, not to mention stressful. She has asked me to pass on her thanks to you all Very much appreciated.

Strumms

Deleted User wrote: »

At that hour of the morning she should be ok. If things look tight at security, just ask to go ahead. People usually are ok with this.

A lot of people including myself are not ok with this and it's getting more prevalent. Why should someone be peanilised who actually turned up in good time and took their place in the Q just to be jumped by someone who can't sort their **** out and who left it so tight that they have to resort to skipping the Q to make up time thus delaying people who actually were there before them. ? Saw this in Heathrow where two girls were blasting past everyone with muttered apologies only to be stopped by myself and travelling companion. Security saw what was going on and sent them to the back of the Q.

RoYoBo

Strumms wrote: »

To the OP... I'd try and convince you aunt to get a hotel at the airport the night before.. Flying with Ryanair means that if she misses the flight it will cost her 100 euros and will only then get out on the next flight if seats are available... If she had no luggage I'd be confident with no bus delays and a fast track pass she would make it. Will be touch and go though with her current plan not worth the risk.

She's going to take the Derry bus to Dublin mentioned earlier in the thread. This will leave her at the airport at 3.25, which is almost 3 hours before her flight. While there are no guarantees here either, I think it's a good enough margin for error.

Staying at a hotel in Dublin the night before would cost her the guts of €100 and she would end up spending much of that paid for night at the airport in advance of the flight anyway. Hopefully, it's a gamble that pays off ...

finnharpsboy

Vic_08 wrote: »

That route does not serve Lifford. Pick-up at 00.35 is at Strabane bus station.

meant to write strabane

Savage_Henry

Have you ever been to this nightclub?

Strumms wrote: »

A lot of people including myself are not ok with this and it's getting more prevalent. Why should someone be peanilised who actually turned up in good time and took their place in the Q just to be jumped by someone who can't sort their **** out and who left it so tight that they have to resort to skipping the Q to make up time thus delaying people who actually were there before them. ? Saw this in Heathrow where two girls were blasting past everyone with muttered apologies only to be stopped by myself and travelling companion. Security saw what was going on and sent them to the back of the Q.

Inquitus

I fly all the time and whenever I have a morning EU departure I arrive at the airport 1 hour before the takeoff time. I haven't missed a flight yet. That time of the morning can be quite busy in the summer, but it isn't too bad this time of year. 85 minutes would be more than plenty. As someone mentioned above for €5.95 she can prepay for Fasttrack which would help eliminate the variability of the security queue. I was working on a project in Barcelona all last year and caught this flight on a Monday morning many times, Barcelona is a great city I am sure she will have a wonderful time.

mattser

Strumms wrote: »

A lot of people including myself are not ok with this and it's getting more prevalent. Why should someone be peanilised who actually turned up in good time and took their place in the Q just to be jumped by someone who can't sort their **** out and who left it so tight that they have to resort to skipping the Q to make up time thus delaying people who actually were there before them. ? Saw this in Heathrow where two girls were blasting past everyone with muttered apologies only to be stopped by myself and travelling companion. Security saw what was going on and sent them to the back of the Q.

+1. Woe betide anyone who tries to pull that stroke in my queue, or any official who entertains it.

sdanseo

athtrasna wrote: »

Doesn't include fast track security any more. Lounge is poor value for early morning flights. Fast track security is much better value.

I edited as you replied. Snap. :P

ProudDUB

I get a lot of those 6.30am Ryanair flights. I get to the airport at 5am, 90 minutes before my flight. As I am a US passport holder, I have to go to the visa check/baggage drop off desks, to get a visa stamp on my boarding pass. There has never been more than a couple of people ahead of me in the queue for those desks. On the rare occasions that I check in luggage, I prepay for doing so. I weigh my bags before I leave home, to make sure that there will be no time consuming drama at the airport, having to removing items from bags to get them below the weight limit. Whether I am checking in bags or not, It has never taken me more than 5-10 minutes to get this all sorted.

I breeze thru security, as I make sure I have nothing on me (clothing or in my luggage) that could slow me down. I head straight to my gate. I don't need assistance and I can walk very quickly, if need be. I don't dilly dally in the loos, shops, coffee shops, restaurants, or nip out for a fag. I am always at my gate with time to spare. I always have time to grab a bottle of water, or a cuppa at the shop closest to my gate.

So to summarize, arriving 85-90 minutes before your flight is fine, as long as you prepare properly and use your time wisely at the airport.

First Up

ProudDUB wrote:

So to summarize, arriving 85-90 minutes before your flight is fine, as long as you prepare properly and use your time wisely at the airport.

This is completely right. It is loads of time and the only question is if you need margin for error in case the bus is late.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

ProudDUB

First Up wrote: »

This is completely right. It is loads of time and the only question is if you need margin for error in case the bus is late.

Well, leaving additional time to allow for the bus breaking down, or getting a flat tire, or whatever, is something for the OP and her aunt to decide to do, or not to do. That is between her and her transport company. I'm lucky. I live a 15 minute taxi ride to the airport, so I don't have to give additional time, to allow for unforseen circumstances. If I lived further away, from the airport, I probably would allow some additional wiggle room. A savvy traveler always does.

But, whether you arrive on schedule or not, it doesn't change the fact, that 85/90 minutes is enough time to get from the front door of the airport, to your gate, provided you prepare & organize yourself properly.

First Up

ProudDUB wrote:

But, whether you arrive on schedule or not, it doesn't change the fact, that 85/90 minutes is enough time to get from the front door of the airport, to your gate, provided you prepare & organize yourself properly.

Correct.

mansize

90 minutes prior to Gate closure yes, not departure time.

Del2005

ProudDUB wrote: »

But, whether you arrive on schedule or not, it doesn't change the fact, that 85/90 minutes is enough time to get from the front door of the airport, to your gate, provided you prepare & organize yourself properly.

I don't know why but I always seem to end up in the security queue with the same people who give out to the bus driver that they are 10 minutes late and when asked for their fare start rummaging in their pockets for change, same as they ignore all the signs and announcements about removing items that needs to be scanned till they beep going through the detector after spending 10 minutes sorting their liquids into a bag they borrow from an organised traveler.

I much rather arrive in the airport with plenty of time and have a pint or 2 then saunter to the gate, but each to their own.