Airport Tips&Tricks (incl baggage-drop;connecting-flight & terminal-info)

JCX BXC

What's the difference between having an EU passport and a Non-EU passport?

Thoie

Carnacalla wrote: »

What's the difference between having an EU passport and a Non-EU passport?

EU passport holders don't need a visa, non-EU passport holders might need a visa, depending on where they're from. The EU line they just have to look at the photo to make sure it's you, whereas the non-EU they may need to flick through pages, read things, check things. So in theory the EU line is quicker, but if everyone on your flight is from the EU, well...

ItssDylannnn

Another tip I have is if you are traveling to a foreign country that used different sockets. Bring an extension lead with more than one socket on it. It will mean you can use more sockets that adapters you have. The extension lead will make it so you are able to plug items in and move them to a more suitable location to you.

Sunny Dayz

ItssDylannnn wrote: »

Another tip I have is if you are traveling to a foreign country that used different sockets. Bring an extension lead with more than one socket on it. It will mean you can use more sockets that adapters you have. The extension lead will make it so you are able to plug items in and move them to a more suitable location to you.

We do this too, even when we are going away in Ireland. Great fun when you are in a hotel room trying to charge two phones, straighten your hair, switch on lamps for extra light and keep a kid entertained on a tablet or handheld console all at the same time when there's only one or two free plug sockets!

Thoie

ItssDylannnn wrote: »

Another tip I have is if you are traveling to a foreign country that used different sockets. Bring an extension lead with more than one socket on it. It will mean you can use more sockets that adapters you have. The extension lead will make it so you are able to plug items in and move them to a more suitable location to you.

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

We do this too, even when we are going away in Ireland. Great fun when you are in a hotel room trying to charge two phones, straighten your hair, switch on lamps for extra light and keep a kid entertained on a tablet or handheld console all at the same time when there's only one or two free plug sockets!

I just bring one of these if I'm going to Europe instead.

stargazer 68

If you buy the fast track 'pass' it obviously lets you use the lane in terminal 2 but does it also let you use the fast track lane downstairs going through the US security?

Thoie

Dovies wrote: »

If you buy the fast track 'pass' it obviously lets you use the lane in terminal 2 but does it also let you use the fast track lane downstairs going through the US security?

No, it's only for the first security.

I was surprised this year when I got to the US customs/immigration place (after the US security area), the woman asked if I'd been to the US in the previous 12 months on the same ESTA, and when I said I had she pointed me to the (at the time) much shorter queue that I thought was only for US citizens, and I went and used the machines instead of queuing at a desk. It was a bit faster - you still had to talk to an agent before going to the gate, but the fingerprints, photo and customs question were done at the machine.

Snake Plisken

Ha just went through check-in and had a look at the bag and tag machines but as I was early I decided to just go through the normal route manned check-in Desk but there was one ground staff who was basically giving out to everyone for not using the self-check-in machines, she was quite aggressive and rude, I just said I'd use it the next time and she said that Aer Lingus have made a huge investment and have to get passengers using them.
One thing I asked the girl at the checkouts about issuing the bag tag in case your suitcase gets lost she maintained that when you drop it onto the escalator it should print off the tracking tag, not sure if she was right or wrong about that.

coylemj

Snake Plisken wrote: »

One thing I asked the girl at the checkouts about issuing the bag tag in case your suitcase gets lost she maintained that when you drop it onto the escalator it should print off the tracking tag, not sure if she was right or wrong about that.

When someone says that something 'should' happen, it's a good indicator that they haven't clue what they're talking about. Based on my (single) experience with self-service bag drop, you don't get a tag, the ID on the luggage tag is tied to your booking which means that you hang on to the boarding pass in case you need to report the bag if it fails to show up at the other end.

That's what the AL lady told me at the self-service bag drop in the middle of May in T2 and on their website there's no mention of peeling a tag off the label that the machine prints .....

http://blog.aerlingus.com/blog/2016/06/23/aer-lingus-express-bag-drop-reduces-check-in-to-just-a-few-minutes

njjj

It is unfortunate that the madness of terrorism has turned travel into a dreadful thing to some

njjj

Thoie wrote: »

EU passport holders don't need a visa, non-EU passport holders might need a visa, depending on where they're from. The EU line they just have to look at the photo to make sure it's you, whereas the non-EU they may need to flick through pages, read things, check things. So in theory the EU line is quicker, but if everyone on your flight is from the EU, well...

Have you been to countries like Latvia? The immigration officers there do flip through pages and even scan EU passports

Kat1170

Thoie wrote: »

EU passport holders don't need a visa, non-EU passport holders might need a visa, depending on where they're from. The EU line they just have to look at the photo to make sure it's you, whereas the non-EU they may need to flick through pages, read things, check things. So in theory the EU line is quicker, but if everyone on your flight is from the EU, well...

Flying into Tours, France, in May it took over an hour for one Ryanair plane to clear passport control. Police / passport scanned every passport and cross checked every person with the flight manifest. Don't know if everywhere in France is the same but be prepared for long delays if it is. EU or nonEU

Fred Swanson

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VG31

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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"everywhere"?!

Frankfurt was very fast for the EU passports queue. The immigration police only took a quick look, they didn't look anymore than in Dublin.

alwald

My passport wasn't checked last time I flew from Dublin's airport by any immigration officer, it was only checked, well glanced at for 2 seconds, at the boarding gate by Ryanair's staff.

AndyBoBandy

alwald wrote: »

My passport wasn't checked last time I flew from Dublin's airport by any immigration officer

Of course not, you are leaving.
They only need the names from airlines to see who has booked flights out of the country.

Coming back on the other hand, you were checked, as is everyone.

alwald

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Of course not, you are leaving.
They only need the names from airlines to see who has booked flights out of the country.

Coming back on the other hand, you were checked, as is everyone.

Yes, but in other airports I am checked when both entering and leaving.

XxMCRxBabyxX

VG31 wrote: »

"everywhere"?!

Frankfurt was very fast for the EU passports queue. The immigration police only took a quick look, they didn't look anymore than in Dublin.

I can't remember delays in any of the European flights I've been on. My last flight to Rome was straight through, no problems at all

AndyBoBandy

alwald wrote: »

Yes, but in other airports I am checked when both entering and leaving.

I've flown out of various airports in the U.K. about 40 times In the last few years and have never once had my passport inspected by immigration on departure, and maybe only 3/4 times on arrival.

Leaving a Schengen country, yes.

wanderireland

Paying for priority boarding helps. Worth the few extra euro's.

Thoie

njjj wrote: »

Have you been to countries like Latvia? The immigration officers there do flip through pages and even scan EU passports

Yes, I've flown into Riga twice in the last few years, and they didn't give a damn about my passport. Maybe I just happened to meet very lackadaisical officials.

AndyBoBandy

I've flown to Riga a few times and Vilnius about 15-20 times over he last 6 years and had my passport checked every time.

mfceiling

Any tips or tricks at the airport or is this now about passport control?

Strumms

mfceiling wrote: »

Any tips or tricks at the airport or is this now about passport control?

We have been derailed somewhat I agree....

degsie

Strumms wrote: »

We have been derailed somewhat I agree....

Didn't know there is a rail service to the airport...

JCX BXC

mfceiling wrote: »

Any tips or tricks at the airport or is this now about passport control?

My god this is getting desperate lately.

Is no discussion allowed anymore?

uck51js9zml2yt

Fred Swanson wrote: »

Normally families use the line furthest left in T1.

July and August are a time to pay for fast track. Avoids all the holidaymakers and families.

Thanks for the reminder. Need to book FT for myself and the family:)

cobham

My tip for long distance travel such as direct to Aus, is to wear two watches with 'home' time and 'destination time'. Smartphone seems to magically update as pass thru time zones but I find it helped to orientate self to know what time would be on arrival etc and time since departed.

Chorus_suck

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FizzleSticks

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