Topic awaiting preservation: missing a plane ?

I'm about to spend a WE at Helsinki. I'm not familliar with planes and air companies. In the confirmation email for the flight it says I must be at the airport at least 2 hours before the lift off for the registration but I realize that my timing will be really tight for the return.

I've searched another flight on the same company alas it's horribly more expensive. ( 3x the price of my two ways flight ! )

What gonna happen if I miss the plane or arrive ~1 hour before the lift off ?
I suppose the air company will assign me the first place available, but will I have to pay some extra fees ?

Whatever I'll try my best to be at the airport in time.

I'm sure whatever airline you're using has some sort of help/support phone number - call it.

They want you there two hours early because it is a flight to another country and they have to do extra processing like checking passports, etc. If you are at the airport 1 hour before your return flight, you'll PROBABLY be all right. There will be no extra fees. The only problem COULD be that you might miss the flight. But PROBABLY not.

reisio: Thank you, I'll call them tomorow.

briggl: France and Finland are both in the Schengen area, so I only need my Identity Card. Therefore the registration should be rather smooth. Add to that that I'll only have a back bag with my laptop and another bag with some clothes so if ever I'm checked it should be real fast.

I just called the airline support. They said me that 1 hours is too short at this period of the year, but actually I can sneak a peak at the airport with my lugage 24h before the flight for the registration, then get back at the Arena for the last few hours. Then 1 hour will be more than enough.

Yeepee.

quote:

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France and Finland are both in the Schengen area, so I only need my Identity Card.

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I know that, but you are not the only one flying. I only meant that they have to check "papers" for everyone and they want to make sure there is enough time to do this.

Honestly, I don't think getting there late will be too much of a problem. Here in the States most airlines will tell you to be at the terminal 2 hours before departure but I've arrived plenty of times much closer to departure then that. You just tell an airline official that you're flight lives in X minutes and they move you to the front of the line and get you boarded.

International travel could be different though. Whenever I've left the country I'm at the airport on time just to make sure nothing terrible happens.

briggl: Sure. I meant once I'm in front of the custom agent, registration agent and what not, it should be real quick to check my ID and ticket.

Jestah: The registration for an internationnal flight must be done at least 2 hours before the departure, but since it's open 24h before the departure and nothing is scheduled on the sunday morning I could go and register at the airport early in the morning, get back to the arena, attend the prize ceremony then take a taxi to finally get at the airport ~ 1 hour before the departure. Pheww!