How long does it take to board the plane, every traveler who intends to travel on this type of transport must know. Boarding an airliner always ends a little earlier than the plane's departure. There are many reasons for this rule, but the main ones are checking whether all passengers and their luggage are in the hold, as well as preparing pilots for the flight.
Registration is the process of registering a person as a passenger on an airplane, in which a boarding pass is issued instead of a ticket.
What an Aeroflot boarding pass looks like
The procedure is necessary to comply with the timeframe for the departure of airliners. Check-in is carried out for the purpose of safety and compliance with airport rules. Each plane has its own take-off time, since there is a queue on the runway, which in no way can be violated.
If the plane misses its turn, it will have to wait for a new one. In such cases, the airliner will arrive with a delay, and many passengers who have scheduled connections in other countries may miss their flight.
Registration is the key to keeping the aircraft on schedule. It usually ends 40-60 minutes before the plane takes off. This time is enough for the airport staff to load baggage and check passengers.
Registration process
All people who intend to fly on the flight indicated on the ticket are required to register. Indeed, even with a ticket, but in the absence of registration measures, a person will not be allowed on board. The procedure is carried out at special counters in the lobby.
Each rack is numbered. In order to understand which one should be approached, you need to find your flight on the airport board - the counter number is displayed opposite it.
The procedure is carried out at special counters in the lobby.
If a person is at the port for the first time and is "lost" in the abundance of information on the scoreboard, then in such cases it is better to approach the information desks. The friendly airport staff will direct the person in the right direction based on the flight number.
Registration takes place as follows:
- An airport employee is given a passport and a ticket, he checks the data and prints out the boarding pass.
- Luggage is weighed. If its weight is within the normal range (from 20 to 27 kg, depending on the air carrier), then the passenger is issued a baggage tag, according to which he will receive baggage upon arrival of the flight. The second baggage tag is hung directly on the passenger's suitcase or bag for identification.
- The passenger goes through passport and customs control.
You can also register yourself using special terminals. can be read at the link.
Online check-in
Passengers can check-in both at the airport itself and online. The main convenience of online registration is that a person can do it at any time convenient for him. And he will not have to be personally present at the airport and stand in line.
Benefits of Online Kiosk Check-In
Aeroflot passengers check in at Simferopol airport
But there are a number of exceptions that apply to flights in the following directions:
- Switzerland (Zurich, Geneva) - 45 minutes.
- Delhi, Dubai, Colombo, Tel Aviv - in one hour.
- United States of America (New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Miami) - in one hour.
- Hanoi (flights departing on Mondays) - one hour.
- PRC (Beijing, Shanghai) - in one hour.
- St. Petersburg - in 30 minutes.
How long before departure check-in starts depends on the airport and the type of flights. At Sheremetyevo airport, in terminals E and F - in two hours. In Terminals D and B, check-in starts six hours before departure. Online registration starts in 24 hours and ends in 45 minutes.
Check-in time on Russian airlines
| Aviation company name | Start | The ending |
| Russia | In 24 hours | In 45 minutes |
| Victory | In two hours; at Vnukovo airport - for three | In 40 minutes |
| Izhavia | In two hours | In 40 minutes |
| Nordavia | In 24 hours | In three hours |
Air tickets have been bought, suitcases are packed, there are only a few days left before the start of the vacation, but instead of joy you start to worry. The excitement is growing every day, because you are flying for the first time and all that worries you now is how to behave at the airport, how everything will go, whether you will get lost, whether you will confuse the plane, etc. You can stop worrying, you just found the most detailed instructions “first time at the airport”For beginners, which will answer all your questions.
So before departure, after buying an air ticket, before boarding the plane, you need to go through the following necessary procedures:
1.
Customs control, before or after registration
2.
Check-in and check-in baggage
3.
Passport control
4.
Security search
Everything is easy and simple, it is extremely difficult to miss the plane or get lost at the airport, the main thing is to carefully read and follow our most detailed instructions ” first time at the airport“.
And so - the route has been chosen, the ticket has been bought, the things have been packed, the money has been prepared, the documents have been checked several times (your personal signature must be in the passport). You have not forgotten to put money on your phone and activate roaming. All this needs to be checked before leaving the house. Things are divided into luggage and carry-on luggage... Carry-on baggage is part of the items that will lie next to you in the cabin during the flight. It can be large electronic equipment (laptop, camera, camcorder), fragile souvenirs. It is strongly discouraged to check them in as baggage - they may be damaged during loading and unloading.
Do not attempt to carry the above items in your carry-on baggage
It is forbidden to carry in carry-on baggage:
- liquids in vials over 100 milliliters
- flammable and explosive substances (acetone, hairspray, etc.)
- stabbing and cutting objects (knives, nail scissors, etc.)
- heavy items exceeding the established weight limit for carry-on baggage
Information about these restrictions should be read on the airline's website, especially if you are flying with a connection. Some foreign airports have strict security rules (for example, in the EU countries, during security checks, mascara may be withdrawn).
Never try to carry sharp-edged objects in your carry-on baggage. At least they will be confiscated from you, the maximum you are guaranteed a conversation with the airport security service. Sharpshell Assembly Box at Lima Airport, Peru
We clarify that if you are flying in business class, then you are allowed to carry for free - no more than 30 kilograms; in economy class - no more than 20 kilograms. Please note that the weight of your bag or suitcase is included in the weight of your luggage. If you overweight, you will have to pay extra according to the airline's fares. Before check-in, there are special devices in the departure hall where, for a fee, your things will be carefully and securely packed in transparent polyethylene. This guarantees you the inviolability and safety of your belongings checked into the luggage compartment and maximum peace of mind during the flight.
Almost all over the world (hotels, transport, travel agencies) you will be understood in English. If you are flying abroad, then it is advisable to carefully read on the Internet information about the country, customs, and sights. Learn a few phrases in the local language so that you can explain yourself at the airport or with the police in case of a problem. Or prepare these phrases on a piece of paper, you can also take a dictionary or phrasebook with you.
Whatever you first time at the airport or if you are a regular air passenger, we suggest putting copies of all documents inside your luggage and attaching a badge with your name, surname and contact phone number to your suitcase (for paranoid people in several copies and in different places), in case your luggage is lost. For advanced, it is useful to put scans of all travel documents on your email, and if necessary, use electronic copies. This trifle will save you from extremely rare unpleasant accidents in the future.
Carry-on baggage on the plane. Always put passports, important documents, money and plastic cards in your carry-on baggage
Important! Never put documents, money and plastic cards in your checked baggage.
So you are ready for a lot of new and interesting experiences, let's proceed to registration. Moreover, you can register at the airport in two ways, this is online registration and registration in the old way.
Option 1 - online check-in at the airport:
More and more airlines are offering online check-in over the Internet. It can be passed at any time during the day before departure and at least an hour before scheduled departure without arriving at the airport. In this case, you can register from any computer with Internet access. All passengers can check-in online: flying with or without luggage, in a group or with children, regardless of whether they are flying in economy or business class. To register online, you need to open the airline's website, find the tab that says online registration and click on it. Then fill in, usually this:
E-ticket number or booking code
- departure airport
- name and surname of the passenger
- departure date
After entering the necessary information for registration, the system will generate a boarding pass, which must be printed out (this will be the document that must be presented at the airport at the exit when boarding the plane). At the airport for online registered passengers, you need to check in your luggage at a special counter and not stand in a huge general queue, and if you are flying only with hand luggage, then immediately go to the security check and passport control.
Option 2 - Regular registration:
You have decided to use the traditional check-in form upon arrival at the airport. Check-in for the flight opens as standard three hours before departure and closes 50 minutes before scheduled departure. Pioneers need to arrive 2 or 3 hours early to avoid the hustle and bustle, rush, worry, confusion and excitement. Departure and arrival times on air tickets are always indicated only local. This must be borne in mind when preparing for the trip. Otherwise, you can miss your plane or even derail your trip.
Check-in at the airport the usual way with a queue
At the entrance to the airport, you need to go through the gate of a metal detector, the luggage will be scanned on a self-propelled belt - this goes quickly. Inside the airport there is a board (information monitor) with departures. It says Departures in English - Departures. In the printout of the electronic ticket, we find the flight number Flight (for example, UN777) the destination city and on the scoreboard we find our flight. Once again, we clarify the direction and remember the number of the check-in counter, where the ticket will be exchanged for a boarding pass, which is an airplane pass. Note - if you arrived too early, your flight may not yet be shown on the scoreboard.
Approaching the check-in counter, you present your passport, ticket and voice your wishes about the seat on the plane (at the aisle, at the emergency exit, at the window, etc.) seat... Then they will weigh and accept your luggage. Both the luggage and the ticket will be labeled with a number. Make sure you have a tag on your baggage that shows your name and flight number, and a baggage receipt on your ticket.
On boarding pass located important information- date and time of departure, flight number, boarding time, gate number and, most importantly, your seat number in the aircraft cabin. The boarding time will be repeated several times over the speakerphone at the airport. Loud and clear every 10-15 minutes.
Boarding pass. Click on the photo to enlarge
With your passport and boarding pass, go to the customs inspection area. This is the most meticulous check before boarding. The customs control is recognized to find out whether you have antiques, large sums of money, drugs, weapons, excise goods and so on. You must declare this in the customs declaration. Therefore, before passport control, you fill out a customs declaration if you have something to declare, if not, a declaration is not required.
For the convenience of passengers in international airports two types of border crossing: green and Red corridors. You choose the corridor yourself. 99 percent of tourists have nothing to declare, so you can freely walk through the green corridor.
Signpost for the green corridor for the exit from the airport. This corridor is suitable for 99% of tourists
Customs officers have the right to ask you to show your baggage for inspection, but this is an extremely rare practice. Therefore, before passport control, they fill out a customs declaration in the event that there is something to declare, if not, a declaration is not required. Then you need to go to the passport control area. The border guard will check your boarding pass and passport.
After passport control, you need to go through a personal search. When going through security control, you must present your passport, boarding pass and ticket. Aviation security staff will advise you on what to do. Attention! If you have implanted devices, do not enter the area of the stationary metal detector. First, contact the aviation security inspector and explain your situation to him.
After passing through security, you will find yourself in the boarding waiting room. Now you can relax and walk around the waiting room, buy souvenirs and wait for the boarding announcement. After the announcement, you need to go to the gate indicated on the boarding pass and present this pass to the person on duty. All you need is a boarding pass and possibly a passport again. At airports with heavy traffic, sometimes they do not announce the start of boarding. Therefore, you should always remember about the landing time and at the specified time independently approach the desired exit (Gate) Boarding the plane takes place either by bus or through a special accordion connecting the plane with the terminal building.
After landing at the airport, you go through the same procedures as when landing. Passport control first: the border guard will check your passport, boarding pass, visa or entry permit. Then you get your luggage and go through customs. If your baggage is not found or it is damaged, you must contact an airport employee (Lost and found).
K see nothing complicated, even if you first time at the airport.
Fly with pleasure!
Hello everyone, my dears! I remember my first visit to the airport: you get lost in huge halls and do not know where to go and what to serve at the check-in counter. Now, of course, things are different. But so that the airport does not turn into an unknown labyrinth for you, I decided to write for you a detailed algorithm of actions at the airport.
I must reassure you: the registration rules are very simple. Basically, difficulties arise only on the very first flight. As a last resort, you can ask any airport employee for help. However, I am sure that you will be able to orient yourself and be on time for your flight.
To get started, remember that check-in for an international flight starts in 3 hours and ends in about 50 minutes. And for domestic flights, check-in is announced two hours in advance, but they finish in 40 minutes. It is better to arrive at the airport early, I’m telling you for sure.
In addition, starting the story about the procedure for boarding the plane, I hope that you have already been able to resolve the issue of packing your baggage. If you haven't packed it, find the counter at the airport.
In this article:
1. Look for the information board
So you find yourself at the airport, but do not know where to go? First, find information monitors. They look something like this:
See how many lines? Carefully study the information that is indicated on them, it is very important. Here you will find:
- flight number (the same as in or, as it is correctly called, in the itinerary receipt),
- departure time (or delay),
- check-in counter number
- and whether that registration has begun or not.
The latter can be understood by the color of the line (it is highlighted in green, and below the lines are red, for example) or by the time indicated in it. In general, if you have determined that check-in for the flight has already begun, remember the counter number and start looking for it.
2. Follow the check-in desks
It's time to check-in for the flight, for this you need to find the check-in counters.
I will make a small digression and say that registration can be done in advance via the Internet or at the same airport through special terminals. This is done to save time.
So if you have already checked in online, printed out the ticket yourself in advance and you do not have luggage, then you can immediately go to boarding. But if you did not print the coupon or if you have luggage, then you still need to go to the check-in counters. You just can do it not in 3 hours while standing in a queue, but a little later, when the queue has already melted.
But today we will imagine that you did not go through any registration and we will go the traditional way. Check-in counters look approximately the same at all airports in the world:
These are numbered counters with a baggage drawer. Look for the same number that you saw on the scoreboard. Found it? So this is your stance. Above it there is a small board that indicates which flight is being checked-in at the moment.
3. Show your passport and drop off your luggage
Show your passport when it's your turn to check in.
Here you can ask to allocate for you specific place: by the window or closer to the opening if you are traveling with a child. If there are still such places, you're in luck. In general, then you need to pre-register via the Internet in order to book the necessary seats in advance.
Here you need to check in your luggage. Put it on the tape: it will be weighed and attached to a special tag.
All this takes a few minutes. Then you receive a boarding pass with a tear-off spine, on which an additional sticker with information about baggage is usually glued.
Don't forget to bring your passport and your carry-on baggage.
4. Security control and customs control
Usually the way from the check-in counter leads directly to the boarding, but at large airports this rule is not always the case. Therefore, do not hesitate to ask during registration where exactly you need to go next.
And then you need to go through security control before boarding. Usually the check goes like this. You take off all belts and shoes and put them in special containers. Then go to the scanners through which all your belongings are passed.
It is here that your nail scissors, shaving razors, bottles of more than 100 ml will be thrown away and will indicate to you that you have packaged your cosmetics incorrectly, so you will have to say goodbye to it. Therefore, do not be lazy, read the rules for carrying hand luggage.
You yourself will also be searched: either manually with the help of hand-held metal detectors, or in special cameras. Nothing complicated, just go inside the transparent camera, put your feet shoulder-width apart, raise your arms to the sides (there are special indicators inside the camera) and you will be scanned for dangerous things.
And if your flight is international (fly to another country), then in addition to security control you will have to go through customs control.
There are “green” or “red” corridors for its passage. If you do not have things to declare, go to the "green" (Nothing to declare) corridor. Otherwise, you should go to the "red" corridor (Goods to declare). Here you will be offered to write an application for the declaration of goods and fill out all the necessary documents.
5. Go to the waiting room
Well, all the formalities have been met. Now go to the waiting room. There you can sit in a cafe or go to duty-free shops.
When you hear the boarding announcement, head to your gate and queue up again. Again you will be asked to show your passport, a coupon (which was given at the check-in counter), from which you will get a stub (it contains all the information about the flight). It should never be thrown away, be sure to keep it until you receive your baggage.
6. Boarding the plane
Immediately after you have returned your passport and stub to your hands, you will be shown the way to board: either through a special sleeve directly into the plane, or by bus. Enjoy your flight!
Actually, that's the whole procedure for boarding the flight. I hope my little instruction will be useful to those who first decided to make a flight. I would be very glad if you share your very first flight experience in the comments.
P.S. If you liked my blog and want to get even more interesting articles, then be sure to subscribe to updates.
Boarding procedure almost identical in all countries of the world, and below we will consider it.
First, you need to get to the airport.
Get to the airport
For some reason, many thought that the airport is something distant and incomprehensible and that you can only get there by taxi. There are many ways to get to any airport, and a taxi has always been and will be the most expensive of them and not always the fastest.
Did you know that, for example, you can get to Domodedovo for 70 rubles?
On our website you will find all the ways to get to the desired airport.
check-in
So you have arrived.
The first thing to do is find the departure board and find your flight there. In addition to the departure and flight number, the number will also be indicated check-in counters... The designations are very different and depend on the airport, let it be G8, and our flight is SU275.
Following the signs, we find the counter with our flight. Be careful, the airline may have several dozen open counters, you only need it with your flight.
Here they drop off their luggage and check in for the flight. All you need is a passport and a printout of the ticket.
If you are flying to a visa country, you need a visa stamp (otherwise you will not be put in prison) and return tickets.
No hotel reservations or any other papers - just a passport and return tickets.
On many flights, only a passport is needed, but it is better to keep the printouts of tickets in quick access.
Passport control
You have registered and received your ticket. Fine! Now we need to find our boarding gate (it is indicated on the ticket). Follow the signs for the airport.
At the entrance to the gate, we present a ticket and follow for passport control.
You only need to show your passport and the received ticket, everything else can be requested separately, if required.
Almost immediately after passport control is located security control... It is necessary to put everything out of the pockets, remove the belt, watch, all metal, outerwear and enlighten the bag.
You should only take off your shoes if you have a heel! And don't forget to collect all your belongings.
Everything, now you're in landing zone and duty-free zone... Advise find your gate first to boarding, and already knowing where he is and the distance to him, calmly explore the cafe and go shopping in the stores.
This scheme is typical for most airports in the world, but everywhere there may be some small peculiarities.
For example, one of the airports in Malaysia has double security controls. After going through all the procedures, I sat down to drink coffee and 5 minutes before the end of boarding went to the gate, but there was another search with a huge queue. Believe me, running around the airport minutes before landing is not so cool :)
To avoid problems, go through all the mandatory procedures, find your gate, and then you can look for something to do before landing.
The optimal time of arrival at the airport is 3 hours before the departure time.
By purchasing a ticket in advance, you can forget the departure time of the plane. But even if you know where to clarify the information, there are still many questions: which time zone to navigate, how long to arrive at the airport, when the flight can be postponed for the sake of late passengers. Hurry to figure out the intricacies
Departure and boarding time: what you need to know
Please note: after seeing the time indicated on the ticket, do not arrive at the airport by this date. This mistake is made by inexperienced travelers who write angry reviews on the forums. But the travel document contains the so-called Estimated time for unlocking the brake pads... The technical details are not important to the passenger, so remember the following: by this hour, the liner door closes.
The plane does not take off immediately, because it is taxiing into the runway and waiting in line. Such flight stages are included in the schedule, and there is no need to worry when the pause is prolonged. You will still arrive on time and be on time for your transfer!
Before boarding, you will go through registration and security screening, which will also take time.
What is ETA
It happens that the departure is postponed, and you start to wonder when you will be at the point of arrival. You can check the information on the electronic board at the airport or online. But the terms seem incomprehensible: you wonder what the estimated time of arrival of the plane means.
This indicator reflects the planned time when the liner should land at the airport; he is usually brought in when the ship has not taken off on schedule. It differs from the actual one, since external factors (wind, the need to bypass a thunderstorm front) affect the length of flights. It happens that the liner has arrived, but there is no free parking at the airport, and the actual landing is delayed by 10-15 minutes.
The late arrival of the plane leads to new delays, because it will not take off on time. In this regard, you may see unfamiliar terms on the scoreboard. Are you trying to figure out what the estimated time of departure of an airplane means? It is indicated when he did not leave according to the schedule. The indicator is calculated taking into account the planned date and delay.
Boarding time
How long before departure can I get on board? The rules of the companies are different: the interval is 30-60 minutes. before the door is closed on the ship. But do not be afraid to be late, because the time is written on the boarding pass. Whether you are flying with Aeroflot or Lufthansa, a company representative should remind you of this nuance during check-in.
The end of the boarding time varies depending on the carrier: for Utair it is 10 minutes. before departure, Pobeda increases it to 25 minutes, Aeroflot needs 20 minutes. But, if the time has expired, and passengers are queuing at the gangway, the crew members have no right to close the door.
When to board the plane: what you need to know
If you don't fly all the time, you may not be aware of the following subtleties:
- How long does it take to announce the boarding of the plane over the loudspeaker? It depends on the type of flight. On domestic flights walk to the gate in 30-40 minutes. before departure; on international - for 40-60.
- If you are flying out of Europe buying a ticket on a low-cost airline, there is a chance that you will encounter a funny phenomenon. The fact is that on the electronic board, the Boarding Time, warning of the start of boarding, quickly changes to Gate Closing (it means that the process is ending). In fact, at this time, the previous passengers have not yet disembarked from the liner, which barely managed to arrive! But the carrier wants everyone who has to climb into the cabin to wait in line at the gate.
- A similar trick is used by major airlines. According to reviews, Qantas customers in Singapore have to rush to the gate when the speaker says, “Final call!” Frightened passengers run only to find that even the gangway has not yet been served.
- Chinese carriers, in order to avoid passenger dissatisfaction, simply take them around the airport in a bus. One of the clients shares his impressions: “We circled for 20 minutes! I already thought that the flight was canceled, and we were being taken to our destination by bus. "
However, do not assume that airline personnel are resting after boarding is complete. The rest of the gap is spent on distributing passengers around the cabin, if necessary, ask them to change places (for example, when family members want to sit nearby). The staff check how many people have checked in and actually boarded. If a passenger is not in the cabin, but his suitcases have been delivered to the cargo hold, they are returned back for safety reasons - this helps to reduce the risk of terrorist attacks.
What you need to know about boarding and departure times if you are flying with foreign carriers
Foreign carriers are taking steps to adhere to the established schedule. The Vice President of Logistics at American Airlines admits that one of the difficult tasks- to ensure that the liner takes off according to the schedule.
Airlines resort to different tricks: some start landing at the tail, while others give priority to passengers sitting at the windows. But, according to airline staff, travelers are unpredictable, so plans don't pass the test of reality.
To solve the problem, foreign carriers offer paid priority boarding. Business travelers are the first to board, regular customers and those who fly frequently. But now they are joined by passengers who paid extra $ 9-20. Having forked out this amount, you can be sure that you will comfortably put your carry-on luggage. The remaining air travelers are divided into groups and are allowed on board in an order that allows for an even load.
What time is indicated on tickets: local or Moscow
Once you understand the terms, pay attention to the specifics of time zones. The controller and pilot are guided by Greenwich Mean Time, but for the convenience of passengers, local tickets are given in the tickets.
If you are flying from Moscow to Anadyr, then Moscow time will be indicated at the point of departure, and Anadyr at the point of arrival.
What you need to know about flying abroad
Fly international flight in Russia from Finland, Yemen, Israel or Madagascar? You will not face any difficulties as the time zone does not change. If after arrival it is necessary to change the clock, then the local time will be indicated on the ticket.
Open date on the ticket: choose the day and time of departure yourself
Companies also sell tickets with open dates, which allows the passenger to choose a day and time later than he or she makes a purchase. A travel document marked Open will be more expensive as the traveler will fall into the “unplanned” category. It is not possible to buy a ticket from every airline; moreover, purchasing via the Internet is excluded. You will have to come to the office; to save time, place preliminary orders on the carrier's website.
The validity period of the document is established by the rules of the company, amounting to 30-360 days (this affects the cost). But you will be able to board the selected liner if there are empty seats on it. Otherwise, the request will be denied, increasing the validity of the ticket.
When do planes fly in Russia? Focus on local and don't miss a flight.
Where to see departure and arrival times
You will see the departure time in both paper and electronic ticket: find 8th column marked with Time... However, arrival information may not be provided, which makes it difficult to plan a route. You can find out her in the following ways:
- If the company indicates not only the flight time, but also the arrival time, then you will see it next to the Arrival mark.
- Contact by phone with representatives of the airline and specify the information by giving the flight number. You will also find out the approximate duration of the trip: you do not have to calculate how long to fly by plane to the United States from Moscow.
- On the carriers' websites, you will find an online scoreboard indicating the arrival times of the liners. You can search for information in the sections "Meeting" or "Arrival" by flight number, airport at the point of departure or arrival, country.
You can also find out how to determine the departure time of your plane from the video:
To save yourself from unpleasant surprises, when buying a ticket, choose the SMS-informing service. In this case, the company will notify you in advance if the departure or arrival time changes.
How long before departure do you need to arrive at the airport?
Before boarding, you will go through check-in, security and sometimes customs inspection. The procedure starts in 1.5-4 hours and ends in 20-60 minutes. depending on the carrier, airport, destination and flight. If you are late for check-in you will not be allowed on board, so arrive early.
The main mistakes of passengers who checked in, but could not fly away
Successful check-in does not mean that you will fly away: many conflict situations are associated with the fact that air passengers do not know the rules of carriage. To get to your destination, avoid common mistakes.
My plane is still at the airport
Non-punctual travelers are outraged when they are not allowed on board the plane, still standing near the gangway. It seems to them that the company can send an additional bus that will take the latecomers to the liner. But, if pre-flight procedures have begun, such a measure is fraught with delays for several flights. In addition, airlines do not have individual buses.
The situation is discussed in a document entitled “ General rules air transportation ". It includes the following items:
- You must arrive at the gate before boarding ends.
- If you are late, the carrier has the right to refuse delivery on board. The luggage will be removed from the ship and returned to you.
Passengers who arrive at a closed gate are considered to be latecomers, so the fault is yours. Do not argue with the airline employees, but ask for help: when you buy a ticket at the “business” fare, you get the right to fly on another flight without additional payments. Passengers from the budget class are not so lucky, since they will only be refunded a part of the cost. And for those who have acquired travel document at a non-refundable rate, you cannot be late: you cannot do without a fine or buying a new ticket.
If the baggage is checked in, they have to wait for me
Suitcases in the cargo hold are not a guarantee that you will fly away without landing. The chances increase, since it is not profitable for the carrier to remove luggage from the plane: the bags have to be found among the rest, which takes time. But you shouldn't expect to be allowed in for sure!
Why wasn't I called on speakerphone
Airlines are trying to please their customers, so latecomers are invited to the gate over the speakerphone. In 90% of cases, their names are announced 5-6 times, so that passengers break away from duty-free trips or rest in the lounge area.
But 10% remain when no notifications are made. It happens in major airports with heavy traffic, where liners take to the air every minute. It is not technically possible to invite latecomers over the speakerphone! The role and features of the point from which the departure is made play a role: according to reviews, the French Charles de Gaulle airport is known for its inattentive attitude towards customers. And if you have to take off from there on an Aeroflot or Pobeda plane, go straight to the gate, and do not go shopping.
Why not wait 10 minutes?
You learned all about the departure of aircraft: what time does it take place, how long it takes to arrive, but after checking in, you got lost at the international airport and were late? Do not scandal, claiming that the extra 5 minutes. do not play a role in the schedule. Imagine that you are at the station: you will not demand that the train be returned to the station.
Pre-flight procedures mean that passengers are counted and seated in the cabin to distribute the load before departure. This is important for small aircraft, while large aircraft are not as sensitive to weight fluctuations. But in any case, the preparation consists of 100 procedures, and they are interrelated.
If several passengers are late for boarding, and they are allowed on board, the calculations will need to be repeated. In addition, the bus has left, it will have to wait 10 minutes, and it will give you a lift to the liner in 20. Your slight delay turns into a serious delay for other travelers.
Other reasons why you are not expected
But the difficulties are not limited to this, because a time slot is allocated for the flight. If the plane does not take off within the allotted time, it is placed at the end of the queue. This means that the waiting time for departure will be 1-2 hours, provided that the crew does not run out of working hours. The observance of the work and rest schedule of the pilots is strictly monitored! As a result, the crew may be removed from the aircraft, and travelers will have to wait for backup personnel. There will be no problems at international airports, but if the item is not one of the basic ones, there may not be a "spare" team. This means that the liner will not take off and its air passengers will have to fly another day.
To avoid risk, companies prefer to leave latecomers at the airport. After all, the fact that you did not show up for boarding is your fault, and you will go to buy new ticket... And when the flight is delayed due to the fact that the carrier has decided to take the "lost", the responsibility will fall on the airline. If some of the customers do not end up at the docking station, they will have to be provided with food, drinks, accommodation, and look for other flights. The carrier will pay the costs, but he does not need the losses.
And in Frankfurt they waited for me!
Airlines are interested in providing the service, so they help transit travelers. You will also be taken on board if the airport has a fast track for fast delivery.
It also plays a role in the fact that the airliner will not rise when there is a suitcase of a person in the cargo hold who has not boarded the plane. According to anti-terrorist security rules, baggage is removed from the flight. In practice, in such cases, they call a car that delivers loaders to the liner. Those revise the compartment in search of the right suitcase, which takes a lot of time. This increases the chances that they will wait for you: the carrier evaluates which option is more profitable for him.
But do not count on such a development of events: airlines, wanting to speed up the departure, send a car with loaders to the liner in advance. If an employee at the gate informs that everyone who has arrived for the boarding has already passed, and there are 5 minutes left until the end of the period, the car is sent. As a result, your luggage will be unloaded immediately, and you will remain on the ground. Sometimes seconds play a role: once running in 19 minutes. 30 sec. were not allowed on board, since the landing was completed in 20 minutes.
The situation is complicated by the fact that the staff does not want to take responsibility for being late. When the plane does not take off at the appointed time, the company clarifies the reason: problems with loading baggage, technical failures, weather conditions, delays at the gate. Employees do not want to be guilty of violating the schedule, so they may refuse to assist.
When they are waiting for you
You have not figured out what time of the plane's departure is indicated: local or Moscow, or are you fond of shopping? They will be waiting for you if you belong to one of the following categories:
- a passenger who has bought a ticket to the "premium" sector;
- Elite Traveler or Frequent Flyer Program Member;
- a member of a large group that does not make it in time connecting flight(in this case, the company does not want to look for new options for you).
In practice, variations are possible: for example, photographer Brian Forbes writes that the plane never waited for him, although he is one of the frequent flyers. On the other hand, travelers who miss their connecting flight are usually not forced to board another liner. The likelihood that they will be met is increased when it comes to international flights.
Eddie Wish, a user of the Quora forum, a social platform where experts, celebrities and people with extraordinary experience share knowledge, tells about a similar situation. He's writing:
I flew with SWISS from Heathrow to Mumbai, with a transfer in Zurich. But the departure from Heathrow was delayed by an hour, because the ladder got stuck: the repairmen were unable to disconnect it from the plane. As a result, we got to Zurich for 20 minutes. later than planned. Late was inevitable, but 80 passengers from our plane were supposed to fly to Mumbai. SWISS clearly did not want to accommodate us at the hotel and allocate seats on another liner, so the second plane was detained.
When the departure time has not been rescheduled
Alas, even a connecting flight and being late due to the fault of the carrier will not guarantee that they will wait for you. This is confirmed by the feedback of the teacher, who flew with the wards:
I was traveling with teenage students, and we had to board a connecting flight in Paris. Although the first plane was delayed, I was not worried, confident that a group of 30 people would definitely wait. In addition, it was a short-haul flight, and a ship with a small capacity was sent on the flight. But when we approached the gate, we saw: the plane was on the runway. I don’t know why they didn’t wait for us ...
A Russian traveler who flew with Lufthansa shares a similar story:
I had a connecting flight in Frankfurt, but the first liner avoided a thunderstorm and was delayed by an hour. We landed in 30 minutes. before the second plane took off and ran to the gate. Unfortunately, we were 5 minutes late and were sent to another flight. After waiting 4 hours, we were on board. But time passed, and the liner was standing. Finally the pilot announced, "I apologize for the delay, we are waiting for 2 passengers who are late." Why weren't they waiting for us?
I sent a complaint to Lufthansa's management, but they told me that they had fulfilled their obligations. Then they explained to me that because of the bad weather conditions the company did not dare to delay the plane, which we did not have time to catch. In 4 hours, the thunderstorm front moved, and they were able to wait for other passengers.
Conclusion
If you arrive at the airport using the local time indicated on the ticket, there should be no problems. But keep in mind that you have to go through registration and security, so arrive early. Do not get carried away with relaxing in the lounge area or shopping! Companies are invited to board over loudspeakers, but such notification is not their responsibility. If you fail to show up through your own fault, you will have to pay a fine or buy a new ticket. And of course you won't get off on time!
