When to arrive at the airport for a domestic flight. If I need help or advice at the airport, who can I contact? Do I need to arrive at the airport a few hours before check-in for a flight


People who travel for the first time or on a business trip on an airliner often do not know the nuances of going through the process of registering for an airplane. The stages are standard, carried out according to a well-established scheme. The basic rules of conduct for passengers are the same, so it is interesting to know how long the process of issuing a boarding pass begins and ends. Let's take a closer look at what a passenger needs to know when they are at the airport.

Buying an air ticket is less stressful and exciting than checking documents and filling out forms in front of an airport terminal employee. Today it is easy and simple to book a flight through a website on the Internet. Moreover, the procedure for searching and comparing several carrier companies by price and flight duration is available to any user completely free of charge. A successful booking will bring benefits and comfort to a person planning a long journey by plane.

Residents major cities and the capital needs to know exactly which terminal check-in should take place in order to calculate how many hours in advance to arrive at a sufficiently distant airport. Before leaving home, it is necessary to check the availability of documents, things, accessories necessary for an air trip. For example, personal belongings, books, magazines and personal equipment will allow you to pass the time in flight and arrive comfortably at your destination city.

Before the flight, you need to make copies of documents, and place them separately from the originals in a convenient and accessible place. It is also necessary to scan the documents, and then put them on an electronic box, so that in case of loss or destruction, you can have access to personal papers from any computer. It is necessary to check the availability of all necessary additional papers:

  • pension certificate;
  • student card;
  • travel ticket for a child;
  • visa documents;
  • various references.

As for the ticket or its electronic copy, the form received on the site should be printed on a printer. There is no need to worry about the validity of this option if the flight was purchased via the Internet. After all, at the airport they will check it and compare information from the database, adding it to the boarding pass.

When collecting things, you need to divide things into luggage, which will be sent to luggage compartment, and hand luggage for transportation in the cabin. Don't hesitate to weigh packed suitcase, because almost all companies strictly monitor this parameter. Overweight of things even by 100 grams after control at check-in will result in a fine. It is necessary to observe the level of the volume of liquid carried in the bag hand luggage.

Except bank card, it is important to have a certain amount of cash with you in order to avoid various unnecessary incidents.

You must arrive 3.5 hours before departure. Check-in starts three hours and ends 30 minutes before the departure of the aircraft. A beginner in air tourism needs to add another half an hour of spare time to this time before checking in for a plane. It is known that during the first trip you need to familiarize yourself with the operation of the airport and individual systems.

Didn't have enough time to get ready, had to be late and arrive when the registration is already over? For such passengers, a counter is provided at the airport, where those who do not have time for standard check-in are registered. But then there will be a fine. Passing through a separate counter does not guarantee a quick boarding of the plane, because there is usually a large flow of people here.

Approximately 10% of customers on each flight are considered late, so the full process of checking and issuing tickets can take about two hours. Upon arrival at the airport, you need to find a scoreboard that displays the necessary information.

There you can see:

  • the name of the airline through which the ticket was issued;
  • flight number:
  • departure time;
  • place of arrival;
  • serial number of the check-in counter;
  • landing platform;
  • the active state of the flight itself - when check-in begins (on-time), flight delay (delayed), cancellation (canсeled), boarding status (check in, if running) or (gate closed, if ended), how long the boarding ends.

Thanks to the data in this table, you can find out all necessary information about the current flight. Then you need to go to the counter indicated in the line. To find its number, check the flight number in the purchased ticket. Coming to the counter, the passenger often encounters a long queue. In this case, it is possible to ask the airport staff to issue a ticket through an empty counter. And usually they agree without problems.

A successful client of the company is able to significantly reduce the time of the registration process.

Approaching the airport employee, you must provide the prepared documents. In most cases, this is a passport and a ticket purchased earlier. If you plan to travel abroad, then a visa is attached to all documents. After that, put the suitcase, and, if necessary, hand luggage on the scales. If baggage overload is not detected, a special sticker is attached to it and the baggage is sent for further inspection.

In case of exceeding the cargo weight, a fine will be imposed. At the beginning of the check-in for the aircraft, you can provide preferences about the seat occupied (at the window, at the exit, at the aisle). If such free seats are available, then the wishes of the passenger will be taken into account. When check-in at the counter is over, the passenger will receive a tag with the number of luggage in order to pick it up upon arrival at the destination.

When does boarding start?

No matter how much the ticket was purchased for, all passengers undergo a check and an additional examination in case of suspicion of carrying prohibited items or for other reasons. After issuing a coupon at the check-in counter, you will have to control passport data. Keep all the necessary papers ready in your hands so as not to delay the queue and quickly get to the plane's ladder. Approaching the airport employee, you must present the following documents:

  • identity card - passport;
  • permit - visa;
  • boarding pass received at check-in.

Here, luggage is also scanned and passed through a metal-sensitive detector. A check is made for prohibited items and substances (if there is confidence in the absence of such items, then you need to go through the green corridor).

After passing the control, and if no suspicious things and objects are found, the passenger is allowed to enter the open area. Here you can visit cafes or shops, buy small souvenirs and everything you need for the trip. Listen carefully to announcements. After notification of boarding a flight, you must go to the gate, present a ticket and go to the plane for onward flight.

For a successful flight, you need to follow all the above rules, familiarize yourself with the check-in start time in advance and arrive at the airport with a sufficient margin of time to avoid some nuances, in the form of paying a late fee.

Check-in and boarding at the airport

The passenger must arrive at the airport well before the departure time of the aircraft. This is natural, because before boarding a flight, you must go through a certain list of procedures.

Punctuality greatly simplifies the life of both the staff and the passenger himself. So, how long before departure do you need to be at the airport? In short, then in 1.5-3 hours.

However, it would be wrong, as they say, to treat everyone with the same brush. Situations are different, airports even more so. Therefore, in practice, the question of how many minutes before departure you need to arrive at the airport does not have a clear answer. It all depends on:

  • flight distance (domestic or international flight);
  • carrier requirements;
  • the presence or absence of baggage;
  • possibility of registration via the Internet;
  • country and airport features.

In order not to embarrass the person who went to, or who forgot how things are in practice, it is worth analyzing these nuances in detail. And you can immediately give general advice: if you are poorly oriented in terminals, have never flown on planes, are afraid of getting lost at the airport - add yourself at least another half an hour of time from the set one, so as not to be late.

If you are, add another 30-20 minutes of time, because the pet will be examined by airport staff. It is also worth advising to check and prepare documents in advance, keep them at hand in a complete set, so as not to delay the process and eliminate absent-mindedness with all the ensuing consequences.

How long before departure does check-in start?

Usually, check-in starts 2 hours before departure. You can, in this case, it will be enough to arrive in 40 minutes. In most cases, the time coordinates will be just that, and if you have any doubts on this issue, you can call the carrier in advance or look at the information on its website.

Electronic check-in usually becomes available a day before departure, and it is very convenient to use it. This will save you from having to stand in line at the terminal at the airport, and will allow you in a relaxed atmosphere. And the boarding pass will already be in your hands, and you will not have to arrive much in advance.

Check-in usually ends 40 minutes before departure. By this time, all passengers must be at the airport, complete the procedure and be ready for departure. This is true for both domestic and international flights, check-in almost always ends at the same time.

How long before departure do I need to be at the airport for domestic flights?

This information is relevant specifically for domestic flights that do not require customs clearance, and generally provide simpler conditions. For flights within the country, it is enough to come to the airport 1.5-2 hours before departure.

How long before departure do I need to be at the airport for international flights?

With international flights, things are somewhat more complicated. Arriving in 2 hours will not be enough here, you simply will not have time to go through all the procedures, and either you will be late, or you will have to rush and cause discontent of everyone around you.

So, how long before departure do you need to be there if you are going on vacation or on business to another country? To successfully take off on an international flight, Arrive at the airport at least 3 hours in advance. In this case, you will be able to slowly go through all the procedures, wait a bit, walk along and board without haste.

For an international flight, before boarding, you must go through not only check-in for the flight, but also customs, security control, present all documents, and so on. Again, it is worth noting that flying with a pet will require additional procedures, this will have to be taken into account and arrive even earlier. In general, arriving at the airport 3-3.5 hours before departure will ensure a successful flight if we are talking about an international flight.

After completing the check-in procedure and other formalities before departure, you find yourself directly in the departure area or the waiting room, where you will have to wait for the announcement of boarding the flight. Even if there is enough time left before departure, you won’t be bored there - there are cozy cafes and duty free shops for shoppers in the departure area. In order to avoid unforeseen situations and in order not to be late for departure, it is worth knowing how much the boarding of the plane starts. As a rule, boarding the aircraft is announced after the end of the check-in procedure for passengers on the flight. Arriving in advance in the waiting room, where the “gates” or gates (Gate) are located, first of all you have to find your gate for boarding, so that later at the last minute you don’t look and, God forbid, get lost. After the desired gate is found, you need to check the flight number on the sign at the exit and the number indicated on the boarding pass. The data must match.

Important! Gate numbers sometimes change for unknown reasons, so it is important to arrive at the boarding gate no later than half an hour before departure and constantly monitor the announcements and information on the scoreboard.

Boarding pass

Without such a document as a boarding pass, you will not be allowed to board. It is issued to each passenger after the check-in procedure has been completed. In the case when the check-in is successfully completed through the terminals or the Internet, then the boarding pass can be printed out by yourself. You can do this in the following ways:

  • at the check-in counter at the station;
  • through the self-check-in terminal for the flight;
  • through an online service.

In unforeseen situations, when the boarding pass is forgotten at home, or for unknown reasons it has become damaged (wet, torn, wrinkled), you always have the opportunity to print a new one. This document contains important information for passengers:

  • flight number (referred to as Flight);
  • the number and location of the seat in the aircraft cabin (Seat);
  • boarding time & gate closes, sometimes only one thing is indicated, for example, boarding start time;
  • exit number (Gate), for passing passengers to boarding.

The boarding pass should always be at hand along with the passport, because sometimes identity documents can be checked again before the flight.

Features of boarding passengers on an airplane

The boarding pass must indicate the start time for boarding passengers. This information will be announced several times over the airport speakerphone, but it is better to come five to ten minutes earlier than the time indicated on the ticket, so as not to be late. Upon arrival at the gate or "gate" leading passengers to boarding, it is important to check the flight number and gate number again to make sure you are on the right track. At the exit, you will be required to present a boarding pass, and in certain cases, a passport (more often, an identity document is checked before boarding domestic flights). The coupon has two parts, the larger one will be torn off, and the smaller one will be left to the passenger. This part of the ticket should be checked again to be sure - it contains information about the luggage (baggage tags), which will make it possible to identify and find your suitcases among the luggage upon arrival.

After passing through the Gate in big airports, you will get on board the aircraft either by bus, delivering all passengers of the flight to the gangway, or along the air corridor-accordion, directly connecting the station terminal and the liner. Having ascended the ladder or passed along the "sleeve" to the plane, you will be warmly welcomed there by the flight attendants who welcome you on board the aircraft and will help you find and take the seat in the cabin indicated in the boarding pass. Hand luggage should be carefully placed on the shelf to avoid inconvenience and discomfort during the flight.

Boarding start and end times

Usually, exact time the beginning and end of the boarding of passengers on board the aircraft is indicated in the boarding pass, written on all the numerous information boards of the airport and announced orally over the loudspeaker. But it is not necessary to look at the ticket or wait for an announcement in order to rationally calculate your own time and not be late for boarding. For those who are unlucky and they are late due to their own fault, the cost of the ticket is not refundable. It is worth taking care of the timely arrival at the desired gate in advance. You just need to know the time of departure of the aircraft and the end time of registration of passengers.

Attention! Boarding for international flights is 10-20 minutes earlier than for domestic flights.

Passengers traveling abroad should arrive at the gate no later than 40 minutes before departure, and those traveling within the country should appear at the gate half an hour before departure. At smaller airports, boarding sometimes starts 20 minutes before departure for domestic flights and 30 minutes for international flights. This is due to the fact that international airports often big queue, and in smaller ones it is smaller, so the check-in procedure with subsequent boarding takes much less time.

All passengers in the world are divided into two categories. Representatives of one arrive at the place of departure vehicle in advance. It's a habit and definitely a good one. You may have to sit an hour or two in the waiting room, but the possibility of being late is reduced to zero. The second category arrives at the last minute. No matter how hard they try, these passengers are in a hurry and late, being in constant stress. And if on scheduled bus or commuter train being late is not so scary - in a short time the next one will come, and you can buy new tickets, inexpensively. To be late, for example, for a plane, especially if the flight is multi-stage, and there is a docking ahead at the airport of another city or country, this is insulting and costly. Knowing exactly how much time before the departure of the plane you need to arrive at the airport, the passenger will be able to calculate his time and avoid annoying delays.

What is pre-flight time spent on?

Most quick view movement - by air, requires complex preparatory procedures. Perhaps in the future it will be possible to approach the doors in the wall, as at some stations of the Moscow metro, press the button and enter the plane, handing over the luggage to the receiving robot, but so far the preparation for the flight consists of several steps that the passenger will have to successively overcome.

Important! If you briefly answer the question of how long before departure you need to be at the airport, the answer will be something like this - from one and a half to three hours.

There are a lot of nuances here, and all of them must be foreseen.

  1. Firstly, you need to get into the airport building by passing through the metal detector frame, and submitting your luggage for inspection. All airports operate differently when performing entry screening, but even with a minimally simplified procedure, it takes some time, since there are only a few checkpoints, and the flow of passengers can be large. If the inspection is carried out full program”, you may be asked to take off your shoes, they will definitely ask you to take off your belt, watch, empty your pockets from metal objects, present your phone separately, take out a laptop, netbook, iPad from your bag or case. Then all this needs to be returned / put on / fastened back.

  2. Secondly, it is necessary to check in for the flight, without which it is impossible to get on board the aircraft. Before check-in, many people still want to weigh and wrap their luggage in film, which will be checked in at the check-in counter. If there are two or three packing places and a large number Those who wish can spend in line for more than half an hour.

  3. The third stage is the search for the desired exit-terminal and passing through passport control. If the airport is large and passengers do not navigate it very well, Extra time may be needed for this. In addition, in many countries, at this stage, luggage is checked again, now left in the luggage, in order to prevent prohibited items from getting on board.

In addition to the fact that there are mandatory stages of pre-flight preparation, there is also a time schedule established by a particular carrier company. opens and ends within a strictly allotted time frame. Landing too. And, contrary to popular myths that planes wait five minutes or longer for late passengers, this is not the case. The plane will never wait for a passenger, it's just that a passenger's delay may coincide with a departure delay. But all the same, if the steward team on the last bus has already left the exit and closed the passenger reception desk, even seeing their plane calmly waiting for departure, the passenger will not be able to get on it.

Additional time


By the way. You can add here not the most necessary, but desirable visits to the duty-free trade shop, cafe-restaurants, toilet or children's rooms and other places inside the airport.

Passenger actions at the terminal - approximate timing

Punctuality will make life easier not only for the passenger, but also for airport and aircraft personnel. There is no unambiguous exact time of arrival, since it depends on many factors, ranging from the personal characteristics of the departing person to the specifics of the carrier and the presence of various circumstances. Approximate timing of actions is presented in the table below.

Table. Passenger actions at the airport and approximate time for their implementation.

ActionTime

5 to 15 minutes

5 to 15 minutes

5 minutes to half an hour

10 to 20 minutes

5 to 15 minutes

5 to 15 minutes

5 to 15 minutes

10 to 15 minutes

10 to 20 minutes

5 to 15 minutes

5 minutes to half an hour

5 to 15 minutes

Everything you need to know about registration

The most important procedure, the first in the list of necessary actions - registration, according to generally accepted rules, begins no later than two hours before departure, both for international flights and for local ones. But they finish registering departing international passengers 40-60 minutes before the departure of the aircraft, and passengers of local flights - 30-40 minutes before.

In order to pass it, you need:


Advice! If you are checking in something as baggage, do not forget to check the availability of the baggage receipt - it must be affixed to your ticket. It indicates the name, number and weight of the luggage. If a suitcase is lost at the destination airport, this receipt must be presented to activate its search.

In addition to the usual and usual check-in at the airport, Lately Many carriers provide an online check-in service.

Registration online

Electronic check-in or online check-in allows you to save time and arrive at the airport much later. As a rule, it becomes available a day before departure, and eliminates the need to queue at the check-in counter. It can be done both at home, on the eve of departure, and right at the airport (for example, if there is too long a line to the check-in counter, or if there is no checked baggage).

Time to domestic flights

Domestic or local flights are distinguished by the lack of passport control and the need to go through customs. Also on these flights, the security control procedure is usually simplified. Therefore, the entire pre-landing part takes less time than international flights.

Important! If you are flying within the country, you can arrive two hours before departure if you need to check in at the airport and check in your luggage.

You can arrive in an hour and a half if you do not need to pack and check in your luggage, if you have only hand luggage.

If you don't have luggage and you check in online, an hour or even forty minutes before departure is enough.

But this applies only to domestic flights within the country. With international ones, things are different.

Time to international flights

Here, although registration opens in two hours, this time will obviously not be enough. You simply will not have time to do everything you need, in addition to registration moments, even if you do not have infants, animals with you, and there are no declared items in your luggage. As a result - nerves, haste, excitement, stress, dissatisfaction with yourself and your staff.

Important! , if you have an international flight, it is necessary three hours before departure, if you do not have emergency circumstances, and if there are any, three and a half hours.

Only after arriving at least three hours in advance, the passenger is able to slowly go through all the procedures, take a walk in duty free and calmly go to the landing.

Step-by-step instructions for behavior in the airport building

Example - a passenger departing internationally air flight who has a pet and check-in baggage of a non-standard size or exceeding the weight limit. What will he have to do, and how long will it take at the airport.

Step One - Security Control

Carried out at the entrance to the airport building. If this international terminal(International terminal), the check will be long and thorough. As already noted, they will be asked to remove belts, shoes and remove all gadgets from their cases, they will check on the metal detector frame, they will run luggage through the TV, they can additionally arrange a personal search and selective search of things.

The same thing will have to go through customs again. If you check the table, the procedure can take about a quarter of an hour, especially if there is a queue of passengers and a small number of working checkpoints.

Step two - packing luggage

Once you are at the airport, look for the check-in counters of your carrier airline. But before you queue for check-in, if you have checked baggage, it is better to weigh it and pack it using a special packing service. Packed suitcases are less damaged during their loading and unloading, especially during complex multi-stage flights. And the chance of losing some of the things is minimized. If there are several packaging services, and the queues are small, each luggage space it is covered with a film in an average of two minutes, that is, you can spend up to five minutes on packaging.

Step three - registration

Once your luggage is packed, get in line for check-in. As a rule, there are from three to ten counters, but several are designed for business class or VIP passengers. If you are in economy class, the queue can be long and check-in will take some time, hardly more than half an hour, but, judging by the size of the queue, you need to be prepared for anything. Here, a passport, identification card or international passport is presented, depending on the country of which the passenger is a citizen. The registrar will issue a ticket with a boarding pass and a baggage receipt. At this stage, you can choose a location.

Step Four - Luggage Features

When checking in bags, suitcases (or other items, such as musical instruments or sports equipment) that differ from the standards in size or weight, you will have to make an additional payment. It is not made at the check-in desk - the passenger is sent to the airline's office, which is most likely located nearby, but you still have to move away and, perhaps, stand in line for a while from the same "penalty offenders".

Step 5 - Making a Pet

The veterinary control office can be located on any floor of the airport. It is better to look around in advance and find it according to the signs, or ask in the "Information" box. When you get there, your pet will be weighed, all his papers will be carefully checked, and only after that they will be given permission to fly.

By the way. If the animal is more than 5 (in some 8 kg) together with the carrier, it cannot be taken into the cabin, you will have to take your friend to the luggage compartment.

All this can take up to half an hour, especially if many passengers are transporting pets at this time.

Step six - passport control

On international flights, the procedure is mandatory. It won't take long unless this moment there wasn't a big queue. The border guard will check your passport and put an exit stamp.

Step seven - customs clearance

Here already last time Before boarding, you will be carefully checked for all baggage, which is hand luggage. TV and metal detectors again. In addition to items prohibited for export from the country, at this stage, everything that cannot be transported into the country is confiscated from the passenger. hand luggage. These include weapons, cutting implements, liquids, gels, and sometimes foodstuffs. The list is quite large, and all airlines may have their own extension of standard prohibitions, so it’s better to check on the carrier’s website beforehand so that you don’t repack your luggage later and don’t throw the right things in the trash.

Step 8 - free time

If the passenger arrives at the last minute, this item, of course, should not be taken into account. But many international travelers make sure to arrive early in order to get to the departure zone and visit duty-free shops. If you are planning such a visit, allow about 20-30 minutes for it. There are also queues here, especially in major airports. In addition, from the abundance of goods presented there, it is not always easy and quick to choose what you want.

Step nine - landing

A little time spent in the waiting room, where there is always a cafe or restaurant, a toilet, a room for mother and child, and now passengers are invited to board. Boarding usually starts 30-45 minutes before departure. Here, at the checkpoint, your ticket and passport will be checked for you, and you can get on a bus that will take you directly to aircraft. Sometimes the passage to the aircraft is carried out directly through a short passage.

Only at the moment when the hand luggage is packed in the luggage boxes, and the passenger has taken his seat, you can calm down and relax, leaving the fear of missing the plane in the past. But if there is a multi-stage flight, the next international airport everything will start over. Therefore, you should not purchase tickets with a connection time of less than two hours. A stranger is waiting for you connecting airport, transition from one terminal to another, security control, passport and customs control possibly baggage claim and re-check-in. It is better not to risk your nerves, leaving enough time for a leisurely air travel to your heart's content.

Video - How long before the plane's departure do you need to arrive at the airport and why exactly

Before you go on a trip by plane, you should be prepared to stand in more than one line. Passing the necessary pre-flight formalities at the airport takes a lot of time. That is why it is very important to arrive at the terminal building on time. Experienced travelers who are familiar with all the nuances know perfectly well how long before departure you need to be at the airport. What to do if you are not yet very experienced in this matter? Then this article is for you. Let's figure out what conditions passengers should be aware of, how long all the necessary procedures take, and whether this process can be accelerated.

Airline conditions

How long before departure is it best to arrive at the airport? It is not always possible to name a figure with an accuracy of up to a minute. The fact is that the time of arrival at the airport depends on many factors. We list some of them:

Direction of flight (domestic or international flights);

specific requirements of the carrier;

The presence of luggage (especially oversized luggage, including art, animals, etc.);

Possibility of electronic check-in for the flight.

It is also important to take into account the seasonal factor. In the midst tourist season, on weekends and holidays, during morning or evening rush hours, traffic on the road to the airport can be difficult. So the travel time should be calculated taking into account possible delays on the way.

Experienced travelers are well versed in familiar airports, know where the check-in and screening counters are, where to go next, so they can afford to delay a bit on the way. But here, too, it should not be abused.

In addition, often when entering the airport you have to go through a small security area. Usually this formality takes no more than a couple of minutes, but sometimes a queue can form here. So it’s worth laying a small, at least five minutes, margin of time for this.

To avoid unpleasant moments and unnecessary delays, prepare and put in separate compartment bags all the necessary documents for the flight. So, if you, keep your passport ready and itinerary receipt with a boarding pass. If you are flying abroad, a passport is mandatory in the package of documents (with a visa affixed, if required by the legislation of the country). In some countries, at the airport of arrival you may be asked to present an insurance policy and proof of financial security.

Traveling with pets also requires additional time. Please note that your pet will have to go through a veterinary screening at the airport, after which you will be issued a flight permit and a boarding pass. This also takes time, especially veterinary control pass not only you, but also other passengers with four-legged friends.

Pre-flight formalities include several procedures: check-in for the flight and baggage, customs clearance, pre-flight screening, passport control and boarding the plane. Let's consider these procedures in more detail.

We check in on board the liner in the building of the boarding complex

What do you need to do first upon arrival at the terminal building? Of course, register. By the way, it is precisely on the time frame associated with the check-in of passengers and baggage clearance that it is advised to navigate how experienced travelers as well as the airlines themselves.

The check-in time for the flight depends on where you are going. When flying within the country, the processing of passengers and luggage by the airport terminal staff begins two hours before the departure of the aircraft. It is by this time that the airlines themselves recommend that customers come to the terminal building.

Check-in for international flights starts earlier. It is connected with big amount required procedures: in addition to inspection before departure, customs and border inspections are waiting for you. In this regard, when flying abroad, airlines recommend that tourists arrive at the airport at least three hours before the departure of the flight. During this time, you will have time to calmly go through all the required formalities and arrive on time at the right exit for boarding the plane.

Remember that the airline may refuse to transport a passenger who is late for check-in or boarding. This provision is fixed in Art. 91 Federal aviation regulations « General rules air transportation passengers, baggage, cargo and requirements for servicing passengers, consignors, consignees. So, check-in for domestic flights usually ends 30-40 minutes before departure, for international flights a little earlier - 40-60 minutes. Boarding ends 20-25 minutes before flight departure.

Electronic check-in for a flight

Today, many airlines offer passengers an alternative to checking in directly at the airport. For convenience and saving time, you can go through electronic registration on the website of the air carrier. These actions allow the passenger to reduce the time spent in " air harbor”- you can calmly finish all your business and arrive an hour and a half before departure.

Usually, online check-in for the flight opens one day before the departure of the aircraft.

There are several advantages of electronic check-in for a flight. If the ticket fare involves the choice of a seat by a passenger, then you will be able to study the cabin layout of your liner in advance and in a calm mode and choose the most convenient seats for you. Accordingly, if you are flying with a companion or family, then you are guaranteed to know that you are sitting nearby.

When you check in online, you will receive a boarding pass by email. It remains only to print it out (you can do this at home or at self-service counters at the airport). So you don't have to stand in line at the front desk.

But there is one nuance that should be taken into account. If you are traveling with a suitcase, then you will have to hand it over. Some airports do not provide separate check-in counters for passengers; you will be offered to do this at the same counters where other passengers check in. You can clarify these points by contacting a representative of the airline of your choice by phone hotline.

In addition, this service is not available on all flights and not for all categories of passengers. So, electronic registration not available if you are accompanying people with disabilities or traveling with a small child who does not occupy a separate seat. You will have to go through the check-in process at the airport if you are bringing valuable art or pets.

You can also find the airline's recommendations on the carrier's website. For example, one of the largest Russian airlines Aeroflot clarifies that if you are traveling with luggage, even in the case of online check-in, you need to arrive at the check-in desk no later than 45 minutes before the flight departure. If you only have hand luggage with you, then you must be at the boarding gate at least 20 minutes before departure. At this point, you must pass security control.

Passage of security control

Upon arrival at the airport, passengers go through several stages of screening. The first one is at the entrance to the terminal building. You need to go through the metal detectors, here the employees inspect the contents of bags and suitcases. In Russia, there are frames at the entrance at all airports, in other countries it happens that there is no such zone or the inspection is carried out selectively.

After checking in and checking in luggage, passengers proceed to special screening areas. Security officers here carefully check whether the passenger is carrying prohibited items on himself or in hand luggage. It is necessary to take into account the queues at the checkpoints and the time to remove outer clothing, belts, and in some cases shoes. In general, this procedure takes about 10-20 minutes, sometimes it takes up to half an hour.

It should be noted that only those things that the tourist takes with him into the cabin of the aircraft are checked in the inspection zone. Baggage checked in at the check-in desk is checked without the presence of the passenger.

In order not to get stuck at this stage, it is necessary to study in advance the list of things allowed and prohibited for transportation. In particular, there is a general ban on the carriage, both in baggage and in hand baggage, of flammable and flammable substances, poisonous compounds and weapons. There are also strict rules regarding the transport of liquids in the cabin of an airliner (they must be packed in containers with a volume of less than 100 ml, the total volume of liquid cannot exceed one liter). All this information can be found on the website of the air carrier, and, if necessary, clarified by calling the hotline. So you save time and nerves.

Time saving in an Aeroport

How to quickly go through all the necessary formalities at the airport? There are several ways to save time.

If you are checking in online, please print and bring all receipts and boarding passes for all passengers. If you are traveling light, then with these documents you can safely bypass the check-in counters and go to the inspection area.

Responsibly approach the rules of airlines, especially in terms of carrying things in the cabin and in luggage. Suitcases must not contain prohibited items, and their dimensions and weight must comply with the regulations established by your carrier. Seizure of prohibited substances and items and registration excess baggage requires additional time.

How to brighten up waiting at the airport

In order for passengers to have something to brighten up the waiting for their flight, the airports have everything they need: shops, restaurants, cafes, playgrounds for children, rooms for mother and child. Passengers are waiting for the flight in the common hall or business lounges (depending on the ticket purchased or the availability of certain privileges).

If your flight is delayed, you will be entitled to additional free services. When a flight is delayed more than two hours, you are entitled to a free soft drink or two phone calls. If your flight is delayed by more than four hours, you will be served free meals. When your flight is delayed by more than eight hours, passengers must also be accommodated in a hotel at the expense of the airline, providing a free transfer to and from the hotel.

Nuances for beginners

Think in advance how you will get to the airport. Consider the possibility of unforeseen situations: the taxi may be delayed, and there may be traffic jams on the way to the airport. If you are getting public transport Check out his schedule. In Moscow, it is convenient to use the Aeroexpress - a high-speed train that runs to the airport and back.

Always respect the time limits set by the airline. If you are late, it is not certain that you will be able to get your money back for the ticket. In addition, a comfortable margin of time will save you from unnecessary fuss before the flight.

If you are confused at the airport or need help, contact your airline staff. They will always tell you where the counters you need are located and what to do in case of force majeure (if you are late, the flight is delayed or rescheduled).

It would be useful to study the map of the airport in advance in order to orientate yourself in the work of the terminal zones at home and decide where you need to go to check in and where to drop off your suitcases. Some terminals consist of several remote terminals, sometimes it can take up to half an hour to get from the entrance to the check-in area. Even if the airport is not very large, allow 5-10 minutes to find the necessary check-in counters or other desired zones. Take into account the queues for individual employees (for registration, inspections), it may take another 20-30 minutes.

Tourists are advised to arrive half an hour before the start of registration, who receive tickets and documents purchased from a travel agency already at the airport before the start of registration. Here you will first have to find the counter of your tour operator and, possibly, stand in line from other tourists.

Additional time will be required by the procedures for packing luggage at the airport and processing the tax-free return.

Allow for an extra half hour if you want to shop duty-free. When buying, do not forget that you should not unpack the package from the store before the end of the flight - some goods (alcohol, liquids with a volume of more than 100 ml) are not allowed to be carried in ordinary hand luggage, an exception is made only for packaged goods from Duty Free.