Boarding procedure for international flights at Sheremetyevo. First time at the airport: what to do step by step

12.09.2020

Flying on an airplane is quite exciting for many people. This is especially true for the first flight, when a person does not know what to do or where to go. In order not to rush around the entire airport in search of the required seat, it is worth studying in advance what actions will need to be taken for check-in and boarding. There are a number of requirements for passengers traveling on domestic and international flights. In the latter case, the requirements are much higher.

What is a boarding pass and where to get it

A boarding pass is a document that confirms the right to board an airplane. It can be obtained after registration. It can be completed in mode or in the airport building. If the passenger decides to register via the Internet, the coupon will be available for printing from a PC or other mobile device. Next, you will need to print it out to present it to specialists at a special counter. If the document is damaged or lost for some reason, you can print it again.

The ticket contains the following information:

Flight number.
Number and location of the seat in the aircraft cabin.
The time when boarding begins and ends.
Gate number for passengers to board the plane.

Important! Your boarding pass and passport should always be on hand so that airport security officers can make sure that you are a passenger and not a random person who decided to walk around the airport terminal.

Registration procedure

Having a plane ticket is the right to use the flight. But you can use the right, or you can not use it. That is why, in order to board an aircraft, you must pre-register and receive a boarding pass. Here's what's included:

Sometimes this whole process takes a long time. This is why it is recommended to arrive at the airport 3-4 hours before departure, despite the fact that check-in starts 2 hours before.

Important! If you are late for, you can pass it at a special counter for latecomers. But this service is relevant for those who did not have time to register and came a few minutes after the registration process was completed. If this happens after 15-20 minutes, then boarding the airliner will be denied.

If the airline's rules imply the ability to return or exchange an unused ticket for another, you should exercise this right. However, for Russia this is rarely relevant. But American airlines allow you to board the next plane that flies to the city you need, despite being late for the plane for which you bought the ticket.

How to register online

Many people register online today. It's much faster and easier. In addition, there is no need to waste time waiting at the airport. People who pass electronic registration, often arrive at the airport an hour later than the recommended time.

To complete the procedure, you will need to go to the official website of the airline and select the required flight. It is there that you can register in a special window. Some airlines accept a photo of your boarding pass from your phone, but this is not always the case. It is worth clarifying in advance the possibility of providing a photo.

The sooner the passenger will be registered, the more chances he will have to get best place. It usually starts a day before departure. Some operators open it 2-3 days before departure. It closes in 45 minutes.

Important features of passenger boarding

IN boarding pass there is all the necessary information for passengers. To avoid problems during boarding, it is recommended to approach the desired gate 5-10 minutes in advance. You also need to make sure that the gate and landing time are correct.

Passengers will be required to present their passport and boarding pass upon boarding. And if we are talking about an international flight, then also a visa and a passport. After passing the gate, you board the plane. It is carried out by delivery by bus or through a special sleeve that connects the aircraft to the airport terminal. On board, flight attendants will help you find required space and will tell you how to behave during takeoff, landing and the flight itself.

Time frame

Not all airports begin and end boarding at the same time. However, there are some rules that apply to all airports. Below is a table with an approximate schedule.

It all depends on passenger traffic. The larger it is, the more time is allocated for registration and boarding.

Rules of conduct at the airport for beginners

Once you arrive, there is no need to panic. If this is your first flight, then follow the information boards and various signs. If they are not enough, then you can contact airport security specialists. They will help you figure out where to go, and also tell you how to correctly read the information on the board. It is recommended to read several useful articles in advance in order to clearly develop an action plan.

Here's what to do when you get to the airport:

Initially, you need to study the information on the board and find your flight in order to understand that this moment happens to him and when planting begins.
Familiarize yourself with the airport map in order to create a route in your head that you will need to follow.
Before approaching the check-in counter, you should prepare all the necessary documents, which include tickets and a passport. If the whole family is going on a flight, it is better to submit all the documents at once, rather than registering for everyone separately.
Passengers flying business class are served at a special counter where service takes place out of turn.

What to do when you have free time

Today, airports offer many different options for passengers to keep themselves busy. These include the following:

Shopping. There are really a lot of different kiosks and shops in the airport building where you can buy various goods or just look at the assortment. Prices are usually very high, due to the almost complete lack of competition.
Opportunity to relax in a cafe.
Read a book, newspaper or magazine. If you don’t want to buy them, you can take them for free at special stands.
Use Wi-Fi to work or just surf the Internet to “kill time.”
Go to duty free.

For young mothers there is a children's room where you can change the baby's clothes and do all the necessary procedures. Typically, doctors, including pediatricians, work in airport buildings. Therefore, if you have any suspicions about your health condition, you can contact them. Health care turns out to be free.

Additional Information

There are no uniform baggage requirements. Therefore, you need to familiarize yourself with them in advance when buying a ticket on a specific airline. It is also worth familiarizing yourself with the requirements for boarding the aircraft in advance. The maximum weight of luggage in some companies may be 50 kilograms. The minimum weight is 20 kg.

It is prohibited to carry:

Various types of gases.
Explosive items and ammunition.
Steel arms.
Materials that can easily catch fire.
Objects with a strong magnetic field.
Mercury.

To prevent the transportation of prohibited substances, you must undergo inspection. It is prohibited to carry water and a number of other items in which you can easily carry prohibited items.

Pregnant women must provide a doctor's certificate confirming their ability to withstand the stress associated with flying.

Thus, in order to be in time for everything, you need to arrive in advance. Registration begins in a couple of hours, and boarding, depending on the size of the airport, takes 40-60 minutes.

Video - Checking in and boarding a plane at the airport for beginners

Video - 10 secrets about flying on an airplane

Everyone who has ever flown on an airplane or seen off loved ones knows about such a procedure as check-in for a flight, but few have thought about what it is.

In essence, this is compiling a list of those passengers who are allowed to board the plane, as well as assigning them a certain place (seat) in the aircraft cabin. Under no circumstances will you be allowed on board without registration.

There are several forms of registration:

At the airport, at the check-in counter;
At special registration kiosks;
Online check-in for flight.

So, let's start with the first option. Check-in for the flight begins some time before the plane departs. The check-in start time is set by the air carrier, but usually it is 1.5-2 hours before departure. You need to arrive at the airport, find out where check-in for your flight takes place, go to the counter, go through check-in and baggage check-in. Since you are not the only passenger on this flight, you will encounter a huge line at the check-in counter. To avoid standing in line, we recommend arriving at the airport early. Typically, business class passengers are checked in ahead of the queue.

To register, you must present the original passport or the document with which you are going to fly; see the required documents for the flight for more details. For international flights, you may need other documents (visas, etc.). Required documents you need to prepare in advance and have it on hand so as not to delay the line.

Route receipt electronic ticket(what you receive by email when purchasing a ticket) is not needed for registration, you can print it out and take it just for yourself, for your convenience.

During check-in, you are assigned a specific seat in the aircraft cabin. In the cabin of any aircraft, the seats differ in terms of comfort. Your seat on the plane is determined by the check-in officer. You may be offered more comfortable seats for a fee. You can also ask to be seated by a window or an aisle. If you are with a child under 12 years old, the air carrier is obliged to do everything possible to seat the child next to you. We tell you more about which seats on the plane are best to choose in ours.

After check-in, you will be given a boarding pass, which, in addition to other information, indicates the number seat in the aircraft cabin, the end time of boarding and the boarding gate number (the so-called Gate).

Baggage check-in also takes place at the check-in counter. A tag is attached to your luggage, part of which is given to you. Using this tag you will then receive your luggage back. A tag is also attached to your hand luggage. We will discuss issues related to luggage separately in another article.

Registration at kiosks. Some airports have self-service check-in kiosks. Some airlines even place such kiosks outside the airport, in different places around the city. You fill out your data yourself and choose comfortable spot on the plane and check in for the flight. The terminal gives you a boarding pass. It's quite convenient. However, remember that you will still have to check in your luggage and hand luggage, to do this you need to go to special drop-off counters at the airport. If there are no such counters, then you can go to the regular check-in counter. The first option is of course preferable, since there will be a shorter queue.

Online check-in for flight. This is the most convenient option for registration. We advise everyone to take advantage of this opportunity. You can go to the airline’s website at home, in a relaxed environment, fill out your details, select any available space on the plane and check in for the flight. Considering that online check-in usually begins 24 hours before departure, this option is incomparably more convenient than others. There are several options for obtaining a boarding pass when checking in online. We talk about them and many other subtleties in detail in a separate article dedicated to online registration.

As in the previous option, when checking in online, baggage is checked in separately either at drop-off counters or at a regular check-in counter. Drop-off counters are intended specifically for those passengers who have checked in independently, so usually the queues there are not long.

Registration ends no earlier than 40 minutes before the scheduled departure. If you did not have time to go to the counter before the end of check-in or register in another way, you may be denied transportation on this flight.

So, you have checked in, checked in your luggage, all you have to do is relax and wait for the plane to board. If you have a lot of time, then it’s time to sit in a cafe and drink a cup of coffee.

Boarding the flight

You must have your paper boarding pass with you when you board. It shows the boarding gate number and boarding end time. When the airport announces that boarding has begun, you should go to the appropriate gate and go through the appropriate security control. It should be taken into account that in addition to security control, on international flights you will also have to go through border control, and possibly customs or other formalities. Therefore, try to get to the gate on time so as not to be late for boarding. There are times when a person inadvertently waits in line to board at the wrong gate, so don’t be lazy and ask if the flight is yours.

Boarding procedure is almost identical in all countries of the world, and we will look at it below.

First, you need to get to the airport.

Get to the airport

For some reason, many people have the idea that the airport is something distant and incomprehensible and that you can only get there by taxi. There are many ways to get to any airport, but a taxi has always been and will be the most expensive of them and not always the fastest.
Did you know that, for example, you can get to Domodedovo for 70 rubles?

On our website you will find all ways to get to the desired airport.

check-in

So, you've arrived.
The first thing to do is find the departures board and find your flight there. In addition to the departure and flight number, the number will also be indicated check-in counters. The designations are very different and depend on the airport, let it be G8, and our flight SU275.

Following the signs, we find the counter with our flight. Be careful, the airline may have several dozen open counters, you only need them with your flight.

This is where you check in your luggage and check in for your flight. All you need is a passport and a printed ticket.
If you are flying to a visa-seeking country, you need a visa stamp (otherwise you won’t be imprisoned) and return tickets.

No hotel reservations or any other papers - just a passport and return tickets.
On many flights you only need a passport, but it is better to keep printed tickets within easy reach.

Passport control

You have registered and received a ticket. Great! Now we need to find our boarding gate (it is indicated on the ticket). Follow signs at the airport.
At the entrance to the gate we show the ticket and follow to passport control.
You only need to show your passport and the ticket you received; everything else can be requested separately, if necessary.

Almost immediately after passport control located security control. It is necessary to empty everything from the pockets, remove the belt, watch, everything metal, outerwear and enlighten the bag.
Shoes should only be removed if you have heels! And don't forget to pick up all your things.

That's it, now you're in boarding area and duty free zone. We advise first find your gate to board, and already knowing where it is and the distance to it, calmly explore the cafes and go shopping in stores.

This scheme is typical for most airports in the world, but each one may have its own small peculiarities.

For example, at one of the Malaysian airports there is double security control. Having gone through all the procedures, I sat down to drink coffee and 5 minutes before the end of boarding I went to the gate, but there was another security check with a huge queue. Believe me, running around the airport minutes before boarding is not so cool :)

To avoid problems, go through all the required procedures, find your gate, and then you can look for something to do before boarding.
The optimal time of arrival at the airport is 3 hours before departure time.

By purchasing a ticket in advance, you may forget the departure time of the plane. But even if you know where to get more information, many questions remain: what time zone to navigate, how early to arrive at the airport, when the flight may be delayed for late passengers. Hurry up to understand the intricacies

Departure time and boarding time: what you need to know

Please note: if you see the time listed on your ticket, do not arrive at the airport by this time. This mistake is made by inexperienced travelers who write angry reviews on forums. But the travel document contains the so-called estimated brake pad release time. Technical details are not important for the passenger, so remember the following: By this time the door of the liner closes.

The plane does not take off immediately, because it taxis onto the runway and waits in line. Such stages of the flight are included in the schedule, and there is no need to worry when the pause is prolonged. You will still arrive on time and catch your transfer!

Before boarding, you will go through check-in and security screening, which will also take time.

What is Estimated Time of Arrival

It happens that the flight is postponed, and you begin to wonder when you will find yourself at the point of arrival. You can check the information on the electronic board at the airport or online. But the terms seem confusing: you'll wonder what an airplane's estimated time of arrival means.

This indicator reflects the scheduled time when the aircraft should land at the airport; it is usually brought in when a ship does not take off as scheduled. It differs from the actual one, since external factors (wind, the need to avoid a thunderstorm front) affect the length of flights. It happens that the plane has arrived, but there is no free parking at the airport, and the actual landing is delayed by 10-15 minutes.

A plane being late leads to more delays because it won't take off on time. Because of this, you may see unfamiliar terms on the scoreboard. Trying to understand what an airplane's estimated departure time means? It is indicated when he did not depart according to schedule. The indicator is calculated taking into account the planned deadline and delay.

Boarding time

How long before departure can I board? Company rules differ: the interval is 30-60 minutes. before the door is closed on the ship. But don’t be afraid to be late, because the time is written on the boarding pass. Whether you are flying with Aeroflot or Lufthansa, a company representative should remind you of this nuance during check-in.

The end of the boarding period varies depending on the carrier: for Utair it is 10 minutes. before departure, Pobeda increases it to 25 minutes, Aeroflot takes 20 minutes. But, if the time has expired and passengers are queuing at the gangway, crew members do not have the right to close the door.

When does boarding begin: what you need to know

If you don't fly regularly, you may not be aware of the following subtleties:

How long before boarding is announced over the loudspeaker? It depends on the type of flight. On domestic flights, get to the gate in 30-40 minutes. before departure; at international - for 40-60.
If you're flying out of Europe after purchasing a ticket on a low-cost airline, you're likely to encounter a funny phenomenon. The fact is that on the electronic board the Boarding Time inscription, warning about the start of boarding, quickly changes to Gate Closing (it means that the process is ending). In fact, at this time, the previous passengers have not yet disembarked from the liner, which barely had time to arrive! But the carrier wants everyone who has to go up to the cabin to wait in line at the gate.
Major airlines use a similar technique. According to reviews, Qantas customers in Singapore have to rush to the gate when the loudspeaker sounds: “Final call!” Frightened passengers run only to discover that even the gangplank has not yet been opened.
Chinese carriers, in order to avoid dissatisfaction with passengers, simply transport them around the airport in a bus. One of the clients shares his impressions: “We circled for 20 minutes! I already thought that the flight had been cancelled, and we were being taken to our destination by bus.”

However, don't think that airline staff rest after boarding is complete. The remaining period is spent distributing passengers around the cabin and, if necessary, asking them to change places (for example, when family members want to sit next to each other). Employees check how many people have checked in and actually boarded. If a passenger is not in the cabin, but his suitcases are delivered to the cargo compartment, they are returned back for security purposes - this helps reduce the risk of terrorist attacks.

What you need to know about boarding and departure times if you are flying with foreign carriers

Foreign carriers are taking steps to ensure they adhere to established schedules. The vice president of logistics at American Airlines admits that one of the challenges is making sure the plane takes off on schedule.

Airlines resort to different tricks: some start boarding from the tail, others give priority to passengers sitting at the windows. But according to airline employees, travelers are unpredictable, so plans don't stand the test of reality.

To solve the problem, foreign carriers offer paid priority boarding. Travelers from the “business” department are the first to board, regular customers and those who fly frequently. But now they are joined by passengers who paid an additional $9-20. By forking out this amount, you can be sure that you will be able to stow your hand luggage comfortably. The remaining air travelers are divided into groups and allowed on board in an order to ensure even loading.

What time is indicated on tickets: local or Moscow

Having understood the terms, pay attention to the peculiarities of time zones. The controller and pilot are guided by Greenwich time, but For the convenience of passengers, local information is provided on air tickets.

If you fly from Moscow to Anadyr, then Moscow time will be indicated at the departure point, and Anadyr time at the arrival point.

What you need to know about flying abroad

Are you flying on an international flight to the Russian Federation from Finland, Yemen, Israel or Madagascar? You will not face any difficulties since the time zone does not change. If after arrival you have to change the clock, then the ticket will indicate local time.

Open date on the ticket: select the day and time of departure yourself

Companies also sell tickets with open dates, which allows the passenger to choose a day and time later than he makes the purchase. A travel document marked Open will cost more because the traveler will fall into the “unscheduled” category. It is not possible to purchase a ticket from every airline; moreover, purchasing via the Internet is excluded. You will have to come to the office; To save time, fill out preliminary applications on the carrier’s website.

The validity period of the document is established by the company's rules, amounting to 30-360 days (this affects the cost). But you will be able to board the selected liner if there are still free seats on it. Otherwise, the request will be rejected, increasing the validity period of the ticket.

What time do planes fly in Russia? Stay local and don't miss your flight.

Where to see departure and arrival times

You will see the departure time both on paper and in electronic air ticket: find 8th column marked Time. But information about arrival may not be provided, which makes it difficult to plan a route. You can find out in the following ways:

If the company indicates not only the flight time, but also the arrival time, then you will see it next to the Arrival mark.
Contact airline representatives by phone and clarify the information by giving the flight number. You will also find out the approximate duration of the trip: you will not have to calculate how long it is to fly by plane to the USA from Moscow.
On the carriers' websites you will find an online board indicating the arrival time of the aircraft. You can search for information in the “Meeting” or “Arrivals” sections by flight number, airport at the point of departure or arrival, or country.

You can also find out how to determine the departure time of your plane from the video:

To save yourself from unpleasant surprises, choose the SMS notification service when purchasing a ticket. In this case, the company will notify you in advance if the departure or arrival time changes.

How long before departure should you arrive at the airport?

Before you board, you will go through check-in, security and sometimes customs. The procedure begins in 1.5-4 hours and is completed in 20-60 minutes. depending on the carrier, airport, destination and flight. If you are late for check-in, you will not be allowed on board, so please arrive early.

The main mistakes of passengers who checked in but were unable to fly

Successful check-in does not mean that you will fly away: many conflict situations are related to the fact that air passengers do not know the rules of transportation. To get to your destination, avoid common mistakes.

My plane is still at the airport

Unpunctual travelers are outraged when they are not allowed to board a plane that is still standing near the ramp. It seems to them that the company can send an additional bus that will take those who are late to the ship. But, if pre-flight procedures have begun, such a measure is fraught with delays for several flights. In addition, airlines do not have buses for individual distribution.

The situation is outlined in a document called “ General rules air transportation." It includes the following items:

You must arrive at the gate before boarding finishes.
If you're late, The carrier has the right to refuse delivery on board. Your luggage will be removed from the aircraft and returned to you.

Passengers arriving at a closed gate are considered late, so the blame rests with you. Do not argue with the airline staff, but ask for help: when purchasing a ticket at the business fare, you get the right to fly on another flight without additional payments. Passengers from the budget class are not so lucky, since they will only receive a partial refund. And for those who purchased a travel document through non-refundable tariff, you can’t be late: you can’t do without a fine or buying a new ticket.

If my luggage is checked, they must wait for me

Suitcases in the cargo hold are not a guarantee that you will fly away and miss landing. The chances increase because it is not profitable for the carrier to remove luggage from the plane: the bags need to be found among the rest, which takes time. But you shouldn’t count on being allowed in for sure!

Why didn't they call me on speakerphone?

Airlines try to please customers, so latecomers are invited to the gate via speakerphone. In 90% of cases, their names are announced 5-6 times, so that passengers take a break from visiting duty free or relaxing in the lounge area.

But there are also 10% when no notifications are made. This happens in major airports with heavy traffic, where airliners take off every minute. There is no technical possibility to invite latecomers over speakerphone! The characteristics of the point from which the flight takes place also play a role: according to reviews, the French Charles de Gaulle airport is known for its inattentive attitude towards customers. And if you have to fly out from there on an Aeroflot or Pobeda plane, go straight to the gate rather than go shopping.

Why not wait 10 minutes?

Have you learned everything about plane departures: what time does it take place, how far in advance should you arrive, but after checking in, you get lost at the international airport and are late? Don't make a scandal by claiming that an extra 5 minutes. do not play a role in scheduling. Imagine that you are at a train station: you will not demand that the train be returned to the station.

Pre-flight procedures mean that passengers are counted and seated around the cabin in order to distribute the load before departure. This is important for small aircraft, whereas large airliners not so sensitive to weight fluctuations. But in any case, preparation consists of 100 procedures, and they are interconnected.

If several passengers are late for boarding and are allowed on board, the calculations will need to be done again. In addition, the bus has left, you will have to wait 10 minutes for it, and it will take you to the ship in 20 minutes. Your slight delay turns into a serious delay for other travelers.

Other reasons why you are not welcome

But the difficulties do not end there, because a time slot is allocated for the flight. If the plane does not take off within the allotted time, it is placed at the end of the queue. This means that the wait for departure will be 1-2 hours, and that is provided that the crew does not run out of work time. Compliance with the work and rest schedule of pilots is strictly monitored! As a result, the crew may be removed from the plane, and travelers will have to wait for backup personnel. IN international airports there will be no problems, but if the item is not one of the basic ones, there may not be a “reserve” team. This means that the plane will not take off, and its passengers will have to fly another day.

To avoid risk, companies prefer to leave latecomers at the airport. After all, the fact that you did not show up for boarding is your fault, and you will go shopping new ticket. And when the flight is delayed due to the fact that the carrier decided to take the “lost” ones, the responsibility will fall on the airline. If some of the clients ultimately do not get a connection, they will have to be provided with food, drinks, overnight accommodation, and other flights will have to be found. The carrier will pay the expenses, but he does not need losses.

And they were waiting for me in Frankfurt!

Airlines are interested in providing a service, so they help transit travelers. You will also get on board if the airport has a fast track for quick delivery.

It also plays a role that the airliner will not rise when there is a suitcase in the cargo compartment of a person who did not board the plane. According to anti-terrorism security rules, luggage is removed from the flight. In practice, in such cases, they call a car that delivers loaders to the liner. They look through the compartment in search of the right suitcase, which takes a lot of time. This increases the chances that they will wait for you: the carrier evaluates which option is more profitable for him.

But do not count on such a development of events: airlines, wanting to speed up the departure, send a car with loaders to the airliner in advance. If the employee at the gate reports that everyone who has arrived for boarding has already passed, and there are 5 minutes left until the end of the period, the car departs. As a result, your luggage will be unloaded immediately, and you will remain on the ground. Sometimes seconds play a role: once they came running in 19 minutes. 30 sec. they were not allowed on board because the boarding was completed in 20 minutes.

The situation is complicated by the fact that the staff does not want to take responsibility for being late. When a plane does not take off at the scheduled time, the company clarifies the reason: problems with baggage loading, technical failures, weather conditions, delays at the gate. Employees do not want to be guilty of violating the schedule, so they may refuse to cooperate.

When will they be waiting for you?

Have you not figured out what departure time is indicated on the plane: local or Moscow, or are you carried away by shopping? You will be welcome if you belong to one of the following categories:

a passenger who bought a ticket to the premium sector;
elite traveler or frequent flyer member;
a member of a large group who misses a connecting flight (in which case the company does not want to find new options for you).

In practice, variations are possible: for example, photographer Brian Forbes writes that the plane never waited for him, although he is a frequent flyer. However, travelers who miss a connecting flight are usually not forced to board another plane. The likelihood that they will be met halfway increases when it comes to international flights.

Eddie Wish, a user of the Quora forum, a social platform where experts, celebrities and people with extraordinary experience share knowledge, talks about a similar situation. He's writing:

I flew with SWISS from Heathrow to Mumbai, with a transfer in Zurich. But the departure from Heathrow was delayed by an hour because the airstairs were stuck: repairmen were unable to detach it from the plane. As a result, we ended up in Zurich for 20 minutes. later than planned. It was inevitable that we would be late, but 80 passengers on our plane were due to fly to Mumbai. SWISS obviously did not want to put us in a hotel and allocate seats on another plane, so the second plane was delayed.

When the departure time was not rescheduled

Alas, even a connecting flight and being late due to the carrier’s fault will not guarantee that they will wait for you. This is confirmed by a review from a teacher who was flying with her students:

I was traveling with teenage students and we had a connecting flight in Paris. Although the first plane was delayed, I was not worried, confident that the group of 30 people would definitely be waited. In addition, we were talking about a short-haul flight, and a ship with a small capacity was sent on the flight. But when we approached the gate, we saw: the plane was on runway. I don’t know why they didn’t wait for us...

A Russian traveler who flew with Lufthansa shares a similar story:

I had a connecting flight in Frankfurt, but the first plane avoided a thunderstorm and was delayed an hour. We landed in 30 minutes. before the second plane took off and ran to the gate. Unfortunately, we were 5 minutes late and were put on another flight. After waiting 4 hours, we were on board. But time passed, and the liner stood still. Finally the pilot announced: “I apologize for the delay, we are expecting 2 late passengers.” Why weren't they waiting for us?

I sent a complaint to Lufthansa management, but they replied that they had fulfilled their obligations. Then they explained to me that due to bad weather conditions the company did not risk delaying a plane that we did not catch. Within 4 hours the storm front had moved and they were able to wait for other passengers.

Conclusion

If you arrive at the airport based on the local time indicated on the ticket, there should be no problems. But keep in mind that there will be registration and security checks, so arrive early. Don’t get carried away by relaxing in the lounge area or shopping! Companies are invited to board via loudspeakers, but such announcements are not their responsibility. If you fail to show up due to your fault, you will have to pay a fine or buy a new ticket. And, of course, you won't leave on time!

The check-in procedure for a plane can take a lot of time. Each air carrier warns customers in advance that it must be completed in a timely manner, within the time frame established for this.

When does check-in for domestic flights start and how long before it ends? Russian airlines? When does a passenger need to arrive at the airport to catch the plane on time?

Check-in times for domestic flights

To get on board the plane in time for departure, you first need to know how long it takes to check-in for domestic flights of the airline company. Most often, according to the rules of most airlines, it begins two hours before departure time. However, the start time may be set by the rules of a particular airport.

Check-in of passengers and baggage at domestic flights stops 30-40 minutes before departure. Please remember that each airline can set own time. Therefore, it is better to check with the air carrier in advance when purchasing a ticket how long it takes to end at the airport.

How much time should I arrive at the airport so as not to be late for check-in?

If a passenger has not checked in for a flight before the specified time, the airline has the right to dispose of his seat on the plane at its discretion. In this regard, even a five-minute delay can have unpleasant consequences for the delayed traveler. How to determine how much time is best to arrive at the airport so as not to be late for check-in time for your flight?

Often, airline employees themselves advise their passengers to have at least one or two hours left before the end of the registration procedure. Especially if the passenger is flying for the first time or is unfamiliar with the airport. By this time, you should consider visiting duty free or additional packing of existing luggage before checking in for your flight. Checking in may take longer, for example due to a long line at the counter. At large airports, it’s a good idea to find out in advance how long it will take to get from the entrance to the counter and find the desired terminal.

Online registration

Today, a passenger can not only purchase air tickets for any flight via the Internet, but also go through online check-in. The procedure is quite simple: the passenger checks in for the flight and checks in luggage, if necessary, entering information into special form on the airline's website. After that on mobile phone will be sent which is printed directly at the airport, using a special device in front of the control line.

When does online check-in for domestic flights start and how long before it ends? You can check in for a flight online one day or 23 hours before departure. This procedure ends in most airlines when there is 1 hour left before departure. Some air carriers, such as Aeroflot, have extended the closing time for online check-in to 45 minutes.

Is there a chance to get on the plane after check-in time ends?

Of course, arriving at the airport with enough time to spare - The best way fly away without unnecessary nerves. But even knowing how long it takes to check-in for domestic flights, it’s impossible to predict everything. If a passenger is still late for check-in, is he still able to board his flight? Of course, if the plane has already left the airport, it is impossible to get on it. But in the case when registration is no longer carried out, but the plane has not taken off, the passenger has a small chance of getting on board.

If check-in is completed and there are less than 40 but more than 25 minutes left before the departure time, you can use a special counter, which is called, respectively, the “Check-in counter for late passengers.” For everyone except business class ticket holders, the registration procedure in this case will be paid.

Counters where latecomers can check in are available at most airports. If they are missing, the passenger can contact a representative of the airline operating his flight. As a rule, these employees are located near the check-in counter before the aircraft departs. If there is enough time before departure, an airline representative can also escort a late passenger on board.