Airport Tips&Tricks (incl baggage-drop;connecting-flight & terminal-info)

DAA lounge is 20, Aer Lingus is 25. I would probably recommend DAA lounge as there isn't really a difference between the two. Eithads lounge though brilliant, however it's only business or first class.

Unless you're spending more than 2 hours really I don't see the point in the lounges unless you're taking the morning flights. Maybe if you have a long haul flight you could easily stock up on food and drinks (non-alcoholic) in the lounge for yourself and maybe a friend or two.

I'm heading out to paris early in the morning (up at 3.30, airport for 4 and flight at 6.30).

Some great tips here. All my lot are well versed in airport/airplane etiquette. One carry on bag between us, the rest of the hand luggage is checked in...what the actual fcuk do people need that they are up and down 20 times getting something from the overhead lockers. It's a 2 hour journey, not a fcuking voyage to Mars.

Smile at the staff and say please and thank you...It's amazing how many dopes out there just grunt and then wonder why they get no assistance if they have a problem.

Have loads of change if you want to buy something on board (coffee or juice). No bigger tosser than the lad who orders a coffee and hands over 50 notes...He should get his entire change in coins.

Bags are packed and sitting at the front door. All passports and everything other document are in a strong a4 zip folder. Yes I've seen the fools who start unpacking bags at the boarding gate because they can't find their passport. I honestly believe some people are too stupid to be allowed outside their front door never mind the country.

shar01 wrote: »

Evening all,

Stupid question but I've searched and can't find the answer. Last September we were able to drop bags off the night before flight. Can't see if this service is still available. If it isn't, do all passengers have to be present at bag drop?

Thanks,

S.

You can do it. I got an email yesterday to say it can be done. One person can do the check in but you *must* have all the passports of the people whose bags are being checked in *plus* their boarding cards.

Anyone who likes their house tidy, if you're going on a Long Haul journey make SURE you tidy your house before you leave. You know how annoying it is to have a mess that you don't feel like fixing when you come back from a weekend away, couple that with Jetlag and you have a nightmare.

I've never had to do much of the cleaning :P But it is quite annoying.

Gmaximum wrote: »

Book your seats before you travel to make sure you (I'm assuming your partner is going too) sit together. If its a busy flight and you don't there is a chance the grown ups could be split up. Most people genuinely don't mind sitting beside a baby or toddler but its easier when there's two of you.

If you're flying Aer Lingus, they may let you check in and drop your bags off at the airport the night before. If you can do it I would just means less queuing for the little man at the airport. If its an early morning or evening flight when the airport is going to be busy buy fastrack, again will reduce queues and stress

Bring snacks from home that he'll be familiar with but do buy him something from the cart too, all adds to the entertainment.

You can bring calpol etc no issues, just treat it as any other liquid or cream. If you've an expensive travel system I'd advise against bringing it and buy a cheap buggy or second hand one. They get thrown around a bit depending on the airport you're travelling to.

Thanks yes have the cheap buggy ready to go and we are flying with Ryanair took the seats up by the front so we can get out fast with him! Do they allow you to bring your own food ?? Thought they take it off you at security check?

I recently had some surgery done and had to head aboard for an ill Aunt last minute.

I decided that short term parking was worth it as it was only a short walk instead of getting buses so an extra 30 minutes in bed. I booked via Ryanair and it was cheaper than the airports website! (Stansted)

As I was in a sling I paid for fast track security where it was empty and they helped me with my bag and were just so much nicer than normal, Not sure if it was because I was in a sling or they were just happy to have someone to screen.

London has 6 airports depending on where you want to go it might be cheaper to spend more to fly to a different airport. If I was to fly to Stansted it would cost £30 each way for a train to where I live. Yet only £1.50 bus fare from Heathrow and a £10 train fare from Gatwick. That £5 fare to Stansted might end up £100 after everything is added in. Yet Aerlingus or BA might be a few extra euros but you wont have to spend it the other side.

Lovely. Now that you mention it, I did get an email a few days before departure. I'll be checking in online today so that'll probably trigger the notification.

Many thanks!

moloner4 wrote: »

Quick tip with Ryanair. Always try to board last and be the last person to use the backsteps. From rows 30-33 there is usually a free row, while the rest of the plane is full. I often do this even if I'm in row 12 or something. If you're the last person on through the back steps, you will know no one else is coming down to these seats as the vast majority (or if all) the passengers are on already.

If you board last, aren't you more likely to encounter a difficulty with lack of storage space for your bag in the overhead lockers?

rsh118 wrote: »

There should be reclining law. Flight under 2 hours? No need to recline!

Over 2 or at night, recline after your meal. I'll happily at this stage after too many crushed meals on 14 hour flights, hang over the front of the seat and tell the langer in front to please unrecline while then lean over their meal.

Well, that's more to do with staff not enforcing the sitting during meals rule and people being somewhat ignorant. If people sat up during meal service, it wouldn't be such an issue.

the14thwarrior wrote: »

I chuckle to myself - employees look after employees

Not something to be proud of. Politicians look after politicians, doctors look after doctors, etc... Hardly a fair system.

Nice that it worked out for you in first class though if you'd a back injury and the passenger behind wasn't being considerate, seems good enough reason to move you without nepotism.

paddyirish23 wrote: »

Thanks yes have the cheap buggy ready to go and we are flying with Ryanair took the seats up by the front so we can get out fast with him! Do they allow you to bring your own food ?? Thought they take it off you at security check?

If you're talking about your own food as an adult, then anything non-liquid/gel is fine. We've brought sandwiches and fruit no problem. However, my mum had a jar of almond butter taken off her under the liquids rule. If it's baby food, then as long as you'd be ok to taste it at security, they usually allow enough for your flight for your baby's needs.

I flew with KLM recently, they made people sit up during meal service, the couple in front of me reclined their seat the minute the hostess moved on, a quick press on the call button sorted that out, told in no uncertain terms not to do that again.

benjamin d wrote: »

At the security scanners, a massive queue of single men or business travellers will be much quicker than a small group of old folk/families/women/spanish students etc.
*awaits sexism accusations* :P

Don't think it's sexist, but do think it's slightly inaccurate.

I would lump some men/businessmen in with the second group. I travel a lot and the amount of time that I am stuck behind a man who has everything in his (different) pockets and then finally realises that the belt has to come off is so frustrating!

I would also pay for Fasttrack in Dublin airport to sail through security. Think it's €5 or €10, worth every penny.

http://www.seatguru.com/ provides seatmaps for the plane being used for your flight so you can choose the one to suit you best. It gives all sorts of useful info and you can use it to compare planes and airlines re: seat width, WiFi, and so on. Very handy for those of us who are taller, wider, fussier about our seats, want to ensure access to a socket, etc.

If you have a sensitive bladder and/or mobility issues, use SeatGuru to choose a seat aft of the toilets for your section, if possible, so you can see when there isn't a line. Go, if you can, just before you are served drinks/snacks/meals so you don't have to go when everyone else does.

If you have a medical issue requiring assistance, even if you don't normally have mobility issues, you are still entitled to mobility assistance (push chairs, motorized buggies, assistance getting on/off the plane). I sprained my ankle in Dubai on a business trip (an entitled young mall rat shoved me out of his way so he could get on an escalator in the Mall of the Emirates before me) and all I needed to do was call the airline to let them know I needed a chair. Try to do this at least 24 hours before the time of actual need. Note: if you request this service at Heathrow terminal 5 between flights, they will park you in a room away from the fun (and give the monitor your boarding passes) where you will be bored to literal tears until they come to get you and put you on the next flight. If you can shuffle around a bit, they will sometimes allow you to go have a meal or look at a few shops, so long as you swear to be back in the room 30 minutes before you expect to be transported to the next flight.

Three or four times, I've been on hand so early for a flight that the desk agent asked me if I'd like to go on an earlier flight than the one I booked. It appears that the flight I booked was so overbooked that they were thinking of asking for volunteers to go on another flight anyway, so it helped both of us.

Not something to be proud of. Politicians look after politicians, doctors look after doctors, etc... Hardly a fair system.

Nice that it worked out for you in first class though if you'd a back injury and the passenger behind wasn't being considerate, seems good enough reason to move you without nepotism.


re above. seriously? not something to be proud of? its not something to be ashamed of either! its a bonus. its an airplane. how can you compare being moved up to first class because you already have flight priviledges (but choose not to use them) to doctors and politicians? without nepotism? its a commercial flight, it's not like I jumped the public hospital waiting list or get a pay back / secret payment. me thinks you protest too much! but I do have a bad back, and I had to fly with a sore neck, not my choice. I didn't go stand by because I had to be sure of getting the flight.