Airport

[All-smiles]

Hello all,

I havent travelled since my honeymoon nearly 7 years ago and I have no real airport memories before that!

We have booked an airport lounge - when do you go buy your airplane snacks or duty free bits, before or after the lounge on the way to boarding?

Also how long before boarding do they open up the departure lounge? Are you meant to rush to the departure lounge as soon as it opens?

I'm sure to lots of you these are really silly questions but with 2 young children I'm trying to make a plan in my head and I cant remember any of these details (likely baby brain!). 🤣🤣🤣

[lizzie145]

Most lounges are open to accommodate the first flight but a booking usually gives passengers 3 hours before their flight departs- it should say on your booking

Everyone is different with shoping but if you have 2 young children perhaps head to the lounge and then just one can pop out for snacks etc. It also depends where you are flying from

[Bellasmummy]

We head straight to the lounge and settle down with food and drinks.

I’ll then pop out to the shops at some point to get anything we want/need. Sometimes dd will join me for a wander. Dh always just stays in the lounge with the bags as he’s not interested in the shops.

Once we see the go to gate status we’ll sort ourselves out to leave the lounge, pop to the loos in there, then make our way slowly over. We don’t like a mad rush to get there but equally there’s no need to immediately rush as soon as it says go to gate.

[sam7]

As stated you can usually just use the lounge for the 3 hours before your flight and they will be open. Sometimes we are at the airport early enough to nip round the shops before our 3 hour window, otherwise we also go straight to lounge then take it in turns to go for a look round the shops.
DH is one that will go to departure as soon as it shows on the board, although we are not the annoying family that are first in the queue to board even though we have seats at the back

[Jillzo]

Hi!
I normally look up the terminal I'm flying from and see what shops etc are available. This year we are flying from Man T2, there doesn't seem to be many shops (apart from duty free, WHSmith and JD sports?!) they don't really appeal so we've booked a lounge and I can't see me leaving until gate is announced!
Type into YouTube your airport and terminal and you will find a few vlogs I'm sure so you can get your bearings before you go, and see where shops etc are, and if they are close to the lounge

[loldis]

If I have lounge access, it's straight there and then pop into Smiths/Boots for water and plane snacks on the way to the gate. I don't bother with the duty free shops unless there's something very specific that I want.

[All-smiles]

Ahh great help thank you! What a good idea to watch blogs on the airport. I will have a look and research what shops there are too. I like the idea of popping out whilst in the lounge - it would mean we can just take it in turns to go for a wander but always head back to be comfortable in the lounge. Equally if we arrive a little earlier and are through security we could just do it before our 3 hours start. I'm so new to aeroplane travel as an adult that I just dont have a clue. I was lucky enough as a child to go abroad alot but as an adult we have always had other priorities to sort. The only memories I have are extremely vague!