The holiday’s booked, the suitcases are packed, and the excitement is building. Yet for many travellers, the stress doesn’t start at their destination, but right at the airport. Arriving at the terminal too late, unexpected charges for hand luggage or long queues at security can quickly put a damper on the start of your holiday. Particularly at airports such as Leeds Bradford Airport or Manchester Airport, from which millions of people fly off on holiday every year, many of these problems can be avoided with a little preparation. If you’re aware of the typical mistakes, you’ll start your journey feeling much more relaxed.
Not checking your flight on the day of departure
Many travellers assume that nothing will change once they’ve booked. In fact, departure times, gates or even terminals can change at short notice. A quick check of your airline’s app the evening before and before setting off for the airport will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises.
This is particularly true of larger airports such as Manchester Airport, which, according to recent analyses, recorded the highest average flight delays of all major UK airports last year. Leeds Bradford Airport also ranked above many other UK airports, with an average delay of around 15½ minutes per flight.
You should also familiarise yourself with flight delay compensation before you travel. Depending on your route, either the EU Air Passenger Rights Regulation (EU261) or the comparable UK261 regulations may apply if your flight is significantly delayed or cancelled. Keeping your boarding pass, booking confirmation and receipts for any additional expenses, such as meals or transport, will make it much easier to submit a claim should your journey be disrupted.
Allowing too little time to get to the airport
If you’re travelling from Yorkshire, you’ll often need to allow for extra journey time. There can be significant traffic delays around Leeds Bradford Airport or on the approach roads to Manchester Airport, particularly during the holidays or at weekends.
You should therefore allow plenty of time to allow for traffic jams, finding a parking space or delays on public transport. If you need a parking space at the airport, you should book it online a few weeks in advance if possible. This is often cheaper than booking on the spot at the last minute and saves valuable time on the day of travel.
Failing to read the baggage regulations carefully
Additional charges often arise even before boarding. Many travellers assume that the same baggage rules apply to all airlines. In fact, both the permitted dimensions and the weight of hand luggage and hold luggage vary depending on the airline and the fare booked.
Particular attention is required for connecting flights. For example, anyone flying from Leeds or Manchester to Amsterdam, Frankfurt or Paris and then continuing their journey with a different airline should check the baggage regulations of both airlines. It is common for a piece of hand luggage to be permitted free of charge on the first flight, but to exceed the permitted dimensions or maximum weight on the connecting flight. In this case, additional charges may apply at the gate.
Packing essential items in your hold luggage
Many holidaymakers pack medicines, charging cables or travel documents in their large suitcase. If this arrives late or is temporarily lost, it is often precisely those items that are needed immediately upon arrival that are missing.
You should therefore always pack your passport, wallet, essential medication, chargers and a change of clothes in your hand luggage. It is particularly important to note that power banks and other lithium batteries are not permitted in hold luggage on most flights for safety reasons and must be carried in your hand luggage. Also, make sure to pack liquids in your hand luggage in accordance with the applicable security regulations – usually in containers of no more than 100 millilitres, unless different rules apply at your departure airport.
You should also save your boarding pass, booking confirmation, hotel reservation and travel insurance digitally on your smartphone or in the cloud. This way, you’ll still have access to all your important documents even if your luggage is delayed or temporarily lost.
