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A TikToker who claimed he arrives at the airport over six hours before a flight has sparked an online debate on the acceptable time to arrive at a terminal before take off.
Tim Murray, a comedian from Ohio, said in a TikTok on 13 October: “I get to the airport six and a half hours before my flight because I have extreme anxiety and I want to sit here and vibe at the airport Chili’s with a waitress named Debra who has the most amazing smoker’s voice you’ve ever heard and stories that will last six and a half hours.”
The “anxious” flyer told less organised travellers that “It’s not my fault you’re late for your flight” and advised those pushing through the security line because they’re late to “manage your time better”.
Murray was able to fit two pre-flight meals into his latest airport trip.
“You think I’m joking? That’s the Chili’s behind me right there baby, I had lunch there, and I’m about to have dinner”, he said.
The video on airport travel, which has amassed over 700,000 views, was met with mixed opinions from social media users.
Several TikTok users said passengers on “connecting” or “delayed” flights were not at fault for their time management.
“What if your previous flight was late and now you’re late for the other one? Yes, I would NOT be my fault!!!”, wrote one commenter.
Another said: “I disagree, if I have a lot of time and I see a person close to losing their flight it costs me nothing to be nice and let them go, airports are stressful enough as they’re.”
Murray admitted in the comments that he was “exaggerating” and has previously “made the mistake for international of getting there more than 3 hours early and they don’t let you in check in”.
Others agreed with Murray’s punctual approach to check-in.
A TikTok user said: “Absolutely! This is why I could never travel with friends. Their inability to follow my very rigid, anxiety-riddled, overly prepared time schedule would ruin my life.”
Another added: “People will literally not show up to the airport until like 20 mins before an international flight and expect everyone else to give them their spots to make it easier on them cause they’re too entitled to show up in the time window they’re supposed to, like EVERYONE ELSE DOES.”
In a different debate on the appropriate etiquette at departures, an airport in New Zealand has banned prolonged goodbye hugs at drop-off – with last embraces restricted to three minutes.
A sign at Dunedin Airport reads “max hug time 3 minutes” and suggests, “for fonder farewells please use the car park”.
One Facebook user said the time limit was “inhumane” and insisted “You can’t put a time limit on hugs”.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
