A travel expert has offered his top tips for how to maximise your chances of catching a flight this summer.
Rising demand after Covid restrictions were lifted, staff shortages and last-minute flight cancellations have wreaked havoc on flight schedules and holiday plans so far this summer.
Hundreds of thousands of passengers have been left stranded due to delays or grounded planes, ruining holidays and causing widespread misery.
The situation has become so serious for easyJet that its COO has resigned amid growing public anger, while British Airways has pre-emptively cancelled tens of thousands of flights.
Mike Ryan, chief executive of shipping company PACK & SEND, has offered his top tips for those desperate to jet off abroad hitch free this summer.
Properly pack luggage and carry-on bags
Queues can quickly build up in security if staff must check your luggage and remove banned items.
Always double-check against the list your airline provides of banned items for carry-ons.
Make sure any liquids are less than 100ml and can all fit inside one clear plastic bag issued by the airport.
Any medication including inhalers should also be placed inside a clear plastic bag and placed inside the tray, together with any loose change, watches, devices including laptops and belts.
Have all your documents ready
There’s a lot to remember when travelling by air but having all your documents in an easy-to-access place can help to speed up your airport experience (and everyone else’s).
Check in online if your airline allows you to and print out your boarding pass ahead of arriving at the airport – or download it digitally, but make sure your device is fully charged before heading off.
Have any Covid vaccination documents and test certificates ready to show if required, together with any visas you need.
Travel during quieter times
Like with everything, the early bird gets the worm. Early morning flights are still less desirable – even during busy periods like this – so by flying at these times, you can avoid the longest queues.
If you can’t do this, picking quieter days to fly can help avoid delays. Typically, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the quietest times to fly – while avoiding the May to October busy period can also pay off.
Arrive early
With delays expected, leaving yourself enough time is vital to beat lengthy queues in packed terminals and potentially missing your flight.
It’s usually recommended that you arrive at least two hours before your flight if you’re travelling short-haul and three hours if you’re going further afield.
However, this summer you might want to allow more time than usual.
If you’re travelling with baggage, check with your airline what time they will allow bags to be checked in at the desk or digital bag drop machines.
Check your airport and airline's specific advice before travelling, as some have warned away from arriving too early over concerns about queues building up.
Plan for delays and cancellations
With so many flights getting cancelled at the minute, it’s important to remember that your flight isn’t safe.
If your flight does fall victim to a cancellation, know your refund rights as a passenger.
Most airlines have a legal document called a Contact of Carriage that outlines what you’re entitled to in the event of a cancellation – whether it be a complete refund, rescheduled flight or discounts and vouchers etc.
If you’re flying to Europe, EU regulations often compensate based on the impact of your delay.
Delays of less than two hours often don’t get compensated for, but the airline might choose to provide food and drinks vouchers.
For delays exceeding three hours, you could be eligible for a hotel room fully paid for if necessary.
If you arrive at your destination more than 5 hours late - or are denied a seat due to over-booking, for example - you can be entitled to a refund.
Frequent flyers and holidaymakers are entitled to between £110 and £520 depending on the length of their flight and the amount of delay caused – so make sure you check the fine print of your flight documents.
There are some travel insurers that cover for delays so it's worth double checking the terms of your policy.
