Gatwick Travel Inn to Airport

[Elaine Guidi]

We are staying overnight in the Gatwick Travel Inn, and have booked car parking through ABC in the airport carpark. The flight is 11:15. I thought we could check out of the Travel Inn and check in at the Airport then have breakfast. Thats as far as the plan goes. I have never flown from Gatwick before. I would appreciate some advice regarding
1. What time should we aim to leave Travel Inn to park car
2. Should we breakfast after check in (felt that may be more relaxing)
3. Will getting from Travel Inn to car park be easy and from car park to airport itself.

Any gen will be appreciated, feel a bit confused just now.

 

[Goofyish]

Looking at your flight time I assume you are on Virgin flight VS27, if so you could check-in the evening before using the Virgin twylight check-in. If you can do this it takes the presure of you in the morning, so you can have a lie in and leisurely breakfast. You still need to head towards the departure lounge in plenty of time though to clear the security checks, which can take a while.


If not, you need to check-in 4 hours before your flight, so I think breakfast after checkin would be better

 

[keith&carol]

Hi Elaine,
You aren't going to be overblessed for time. When you say Airport car park I assume you mean Parking Express which is the long term car park.
You are going to need about 15-20 minutes to get to the car park then you take a shuttle bus back to the Terminal and could face a lengthy queue at check-in. It's going to be very busy at that time in the morning.
Can you use Twilight check-in and park the car the night before then you only have the Hotel Shuttle to contend with.
From being checked-in to the Boarding gate could be up to an hour with security, shuttle to Satelite,etc. and that's if you don't stop for breakfast, duty free or shops.
You can get breakfast in the Lounge after Passport control. There are loads of places to eat and you would know that you could be at the boarding gate within about 20 minutes from there if you have left yourself short of time.
We stay at the Hilton and use Twilight check-in but would still aim to be in the Airport no later than 8am if we are getting breakfast before catching the 11.15 flight.
Carol

 

[neilybealy]

Originally posted by keith&carol
We stay at the Hilton and use Twilight check-in but would still aim to be in the Airport no later than 8am if we are getting breakfast before catching the 11.15 flight.
Carol

we have been debating what time we need to arrive at the airport for our 11.15am saturday morning flight in 4 weeks time

we have now decided to use twilight checkin but not everyone will be arriving early so it could be we won't be able to checkin til approx 8pm

i am trying to convince everyone that we still need to get to the airport before 9am so that we can take a leisurely breakfast and a look round the shops but some think they can arrive at the airport at 10

we'll see how things go between now and then - i'm sure they'll be up early with excitement anyway on the day !!!