Time to allow for airport security

[doodab]

I've used city a few times in the last 6 months to get to various places in northern Europe, every time I've breezed through in a few minutes. The only risk is that the DLR can be a little unreliable if that's how you plan to get there.

[Ignis Fatuus]

You can never foresee how long security will take, on a quiet days I have been delayed because security decides to do a full check taking about 20 minutes to go through every item. I have missed a flight at LCY because of that. The longest time at security has been Gatwick being just under two hours. At Heathrow in December it took 40 minutes.

I am just going to have to face the fact that there are 2 choices there: either get there in plenty of time, and spend hours in the airport; or cut it a bit finer and just accept the occasional missed flight as a cost of doing business.

I have an old friend who lives in Boston, who always maintains that if you never miss a flight, you're spending too much time in airports. There are exceptions to every rule though - he was glad to have made flight 11 from Boston to LA on September 10th 2001. If he had missed it, he would have been on the next day's flight.

[AtW]

I heard DB are planning to do London to Cologne in less than 3 1/2 hours and start the service in time for the Olympics; that would be a massive benefit for all of us in Euroland. Apparently they've tested it with the ICE and it all works but the frogs are protesting as they want French staff running the service through the tunnel.

Have not heard of that but it would be great if they join in - more direct train services to Europe is very good thing.

[Paddy]

You can never foresee how long security will take, on a quiet days I have been delayed because security decides to do a full check taking about 20 minutes to go through every item. I have missed a flight at LCY because of that. The longest time at security has been Gatwick being just under two hours. At Heathrow in December it took 40 minutes.

[SimonMac]

Was up in Scotland over New Year and flew BA from T5, very easy, very quick and very impressed. Now I don't know how it would stack up against a busy Monday morning in fairness

[Ignis Fatuus]

Went there not so long ago and it's a breeze no long distances to walk, you're literally off the DLR into the airport and a 2 min walk to security.

At 8am and 4-6pm it is normally quite busy, but they are pretty efficient, so getting there an hour before your flight is plenty of time, if you have done the online check in.

That's what I need. I can get to LCY for 08:10, LHR for 08:16. Flights go from both at 09:20. Looks like I make the LCY flight, and don't always make the LHR flight (or at leat start getting ulcers worrying about missing it).

[Waldorf]

I would avoid airports if there is an alternative, dreadful places, certainly the worst part of going on holiday.

[Gonzo]

Gonzo, thanks. I'll give it a try.

As I said, I've not been through there for three years now, but it is a small airport and there is no distance between the entrance and the departure gates and that won't have changed.

Flights always used to be more expensive from there than Heathrow but LCY was always my first choice.

[Mich the Tester]

Absolutely. I even took the train to Cologne last year: 1 hour home to London, 2 hours on to Brussels, 2 more on to Cologne.

But this one is almost 1 hour west of Frankfurt. Maybe next year.

Gonzo, thanks. I'll give it a try.

I heard DB are planning to do London to Cologne in less than 3 1/2 hours and start the service in time for the Olympics; that would be a massive benefit for all of us in Euroland. Apparently they've tested it with the ICE and it all works but the frogs are protesting as they want French staff running the service through the tunnel.

[Ignis Fatuus]

Where are you going? If you're off to Paris or Brussels the train might be quicker (in total) and significantly more comfortable for your money.

Absolutely. I even took the train to Cologne last year: 1 hour home to London, 2 hours on to Brussels, 2 more on to Cologne.

But this one is almost 1 hour west of Frankfurt. Maybe next year.

Gonzo, thanks. I'll give it a try.

[norrahe]

Went there not so long ago and it's a breeze no long distances to walk, you're literally off the DLR into the airport and a 2 min walk to security.

At 8am and 4-6pm it is normally quite busy, but they are pretty efficient, so getting there an hour before your flight is plenty of time, if you have done the online check in.

[Gonzo]

I haven't been through there for three years now, so this information might be out of date, but LCY was always an absolute dream to fly through.

The airport could only take small planes (up to 50 passengers) so the check-in queue was never very long.

The queue for security was never longer than one minute, if there was a queue at all.

I did one day-trip to Edinburgh in around 2005 where I woke up late, arrived at the airport 20 minutes before take off but still managed to check-in, clear security and get to the gate in time.

In early 2008 the number of passengers going through there was putting a strain on the facilities.

Most of those passengers were business travellers taking advantage of the quicker route into the City from LCY than Heathrow. The last time I went through there was immediately after the credit-crunch meltdown and the place was empty.

[Mich the Tester]

Where are you going? If you're off to Paris or Brussels the train might be quicker (in total) and significantly more comfortable for your money.

[Ignis Fatuus]

I'm thinking of flying from LCY rather than LHR. Heathrow is a pain, especially the time you have to allow for security: it's so variable. sometimes 5 mins, sometimes > 30 mins.

I can get to both airports for about the same time on Monday mornings, just after 8:00. Does anyone have experience of max normal processing times for London City? Or should I look at flying BA from LHR, using Terminal 5? Is it better?

Or maybe just push it close to the limit on time allowed, knowing that occasionally I'll miss a flight and have to buy a full-price ticket on the next one; but it's worth it because most of the time I'll save time.

BTW cost is a factor, I see the flights as a cost to my business, not a perk to me.