Get me to the airport on time
Boarding an airplane in the early days of commercial air travel was no different than hopping on a train or bus. Passengers walked right up to the plane with their ticket—there was no need for bag checks or even an ID.
What got me thinking about this was after I received a message from my airline saying I need to be at the airport three hours early for an international flight I was making next morning. By my recollection, getting to the airport three hours ahead for an international flight has remained unchanged in the last 30-35 years.
In that time I have taken a great number of flights - where I’ve never missed my flight. And yes, I’ve heard of that phrase "if you never miss the plane, you're spending too much time in airports." Gary Leff writing “At view from the Wing” recently estimated that US$83 billion worth of productive time last year was wasted because of people showing up hours in advance at American airports. Can you image what the cost of wasted time globally would be? Well, that’s another topic for another day.
How early to get to the airport for a flight is divisive. There are two camps: those who like to arrive at the airport (ridiculously) early and those who breeze into the airport with 45 minutes to spare, hoping for the best, regardless of the official advice.
In the early decades of air travel, airport security – beyond basic policing - was essentially nonexistent. One could saunter into the airport minutes before boarding the aircraft, sipping one’s favourite beverage whilst even carrying one’s shaving razor or even a 4-inch knife in the hand luggage. You didn't need to be a passenger, so you could go right to the gate to drop off your loved ones or pick them up, and you didn't need ID.
All that changed on 11th September 2001, (colloquially known as 9/11), after terrorists hijacked and crashed four passenger jets into the Twin Towers, The terrorist attacks brought swift and lasting changes to the air travel experience, and after 20 years of ever-more-elaborate airport security protocols, many air travelers have no knowledge of… or only vague memories of - what air travel was like before 9/11.
Thanks…I mean no thanks, to Richard Reid, the so-called "Shoe Bomber," who attempted to set off explosives in his shoes on an international flight from Paris to Miami. Taking off your shoes before passing through security quickly became a requirement. Then, in 2006, British officials intercepted an attempt to carry liquid explosives aboard a flight, resulting in a ban on all liquids. This was later modified to restricting passengers to liquids of no more than 3.4 ounces.
Now, travelers often stand in long lines at security checkpoints with wait times that can exceed an hour. We take off our shoes, empty our pockets and take laptops and other devices out of carry-on bags before stepping into high-resolution, full-body scanners, while our bags go through 3D-imaging X-ray machines. And don't forget to take your liquids of 3.4 ounces or less out of your carry-on.
Airlines, I’m told are the ones to set the time people should arrive at the airport to ensure they have enough time to complete behind-the-scenes processes, as well as to allow passengers to check in, drop their bags, clear security screening, and board without rushing. This also enables the airline to get away in time.
Ilzaf Keefahs is a freelance writer who enjoys focusing on hospitality related matters that he is passionate about, and likes to share his views with hoteliers and customers alike. He delves into the heart of hospitality to figure out both customer service and consumer trends that impact the industry
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